[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 36 (Monday, September 11, 2000)]
[Page 2009]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Vladimir 
Putin of Russia in New York City

September 6, 2000

Russia-U.S. Relations

    Q. Have you any expectations?
    President Putin. Only positive expectations.
    President Clinton. I agree with that. This is just part of our 
ongoing, regular consultation. We're going to have another chance to 
meet in Asia in a couple of months, and we have a lot of things to talk 
about. But it's part of our continuing effort to strengthen our 
relationships and to help our people.

[At this point, a question was asked and answered in Russian, and no 
translation was provided.]

    President Clinton. Thank you. Let me just say one thing about the 
ABM issue. We have worked together on nuclear issues very closely for 
virtually the whole time I've been in office and, actually, for quite a 
long time before that, before I became President. The decision that I 
made last week on our missile defense will create an opportunity for 
President Putin and the next American President to reach a common 
position. And I hope they can, because I think it's very important for 
the future that we continue to work together.
    When we work together, we can destroy thousands of tons of nuclear 
materials and lots of nuclear weapons and work together in the Balkans 
for peace. I mean, we can get a lot of things done if we work together. 
So I hope that the decision that I made will enable my successor and 
President Putin to resolve this issue and to continue working together 
on all the arms control issues.

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Mr. President, the deadline set by Israel and the Palestinians is 
a week from today. Do you have any reason to believe that there might be 
something worked out by this time, or would you like the parties to 
discard the deadline?
    President Clinton. Well, I haven't met with them yet, but I think 
that--I think we can work through that if there's a sense of progress--
and one of the things I hope I have a chance to talk to President Putin 
about--but I think the main thing they have to decide is whether there 
is going to be an agreement within what is the real calendar, which is 
the calendar that is ticking in the Middle East against the political 
realities in Israel as well as for the Palestinians. There's a limit to 
how long they have, and it's not very much longer.

Note: The exchange began at 11:25 a.m. at the Waldorf-Astoria. A tape 
was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.