[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 25 (Monday, June 25, 2001)]
[Pages 926-933]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's News Conference With President Putin in Kranj

June 16, 2001

    President Bush. Good afternoon. President Putin and I have just 
concluded 2 hours of straightforward and productive meetings. We had a 
good discussion of our views of Russian-American relations and of the 
changing world at the beginnings of this new century. Our countries have 
common interests, and we share great responsibilities.
    My meeting with President Putin today is an important step in 
building a constructive, respectful relationship with Russia, a 
relationship that has the potential to benefit not only our two 
countries but also the world. Russia is an important country with vast 
potential. When Russia and the United States work together in a 
constructive way, we can make the world a safer and more prosperous 
place.
    I enjoyed the opportunity to meet President Putin in person for the 
first time. I am convinced that he and I can build a relationship of 
mutual respect and candor. And I'm convinced that it's important for the 
world that we do so.
    More than a decade after the cold war ended, it is time to move 
beyond suspicion and toward straight talk, beyond mutually assured 
destruction and toward mutually earned respect. As we work together to 
address the world as it is, not as it used to be, it is important that 
we not only talk differently; we also must act differently.
    We have great opportunities to cooperate on economic, commercial, 
regional, and security issues. President Putin and I have agreed to 
launch an extensive dialog about a wide range of issues that we can 
constructively address together.
    We also discussed the importance of sound investment climate to 
improve Russia's future economic prosperity. I was so impressed that he 
was able to simplify his tax code in Russia with a flat tax. I'm not so 
sure I'll have the same success with our Congress.
    We must continue a dialog, so I'm prepared to send both Secretary 
O'Neill and Secretary Evans to Moscow soon to further our discussions. I 
want to encourage Russian

[[Page 927]]

and American businesses to become more involved in our discussions, so 
that together, we can foster meaningful investments. President Putin 
agrees with this approach.
    And we've agreed to launch regular detailed and serious 
consultations on the nature of our security relationship. I said to 
President Putin that we need a new approach for a new era, an approach 
that protects both our peoples and strengthens deterrence by exploring 
and developing our new attitudes toward defenses and missile defenses. 
I've directed Secretary of State Powell and Secretary of Defense 
Rumsfeld to work with their Russian counterparts, to begin discussing a 
new security framework. I have invited President Putin to Washington 
this fall. He accepted. He invited me to Russia, and I accepted. And I 
look forward to the visit.
    We also agreed to continue our cooperation and work toward common 
solutions on important regional issues, from the Balkans to Nagorno-
Karabakh to Afghanistan. And we discussed our common interest in 
developing the energy resources of the Caspian Basin in a way that 
benefits all the countries of the region.
    Respectful relations require honesty. And we did discuss areas where 
my country has differences with Russia, over Chechnya and over media 
relations. I also expressed my hope that Russia will develop 
constructive relations with its neighbors, like Georgia, that are trying 
to find their own way in a challenging but hopeful world.
    This was a very good meeting. And I look forward to my next meeting 
with President Putin in July. I very much enjoyed our time together. 
He's an honest, straightforward man who loves his country. He loves his 
family. We share a lot of values. I view him as a remarkable leader. I 
believe his leadership will serve Russia well. Russia and America have 
the opportunity to accomplish much together; we should seize it. And 
today we have begun.
    And finally, I'm especially pleased we're able to have this meeting 
in Slovenia, one of the success stories of southeast Europe. In my 
meetings today with the President and the Prime Minister, I reaffirmed 
America's support for Slovenia's integration with Europe and the Euro-
Atlantic community. I especially thank the people of Slovenia, and I 
want to thank the leadership for such warm hospitality and congratulate 
the people on the 10th anniversary of its independence on June the 25th.
    I only regret not staying long enough to see Lake Bled or to climb 
Mount Triglav. Who knows, maybe I'll have the opportunity down the road.
    Mr. President.
    President Putin. First of all, I wanted to confirm everything that's 
been said by President Bush when he characterized our meeting. I could 
even add that I was counting on an open, frank dialog, confidential 
dialog. But in this regard, as they say in cases like this, reality was 
a lot bigger than expectations, because this was not only a confidential 
discussion but extremely and all the way to more than what you could 
expect from frankness, because President Bush, as a person who has 
studied history, proposed a very global, wide-scale approach and view to 
history. And it was very interesting and positive.
    We sat, talked about the past, about the present, about the future 
of our countries and about the development of the situation in the world 
for many years into the future. This was really a very interesting 
discussion. I think that we found a good basis to start building on our 
cooperation. We're counting on a pragmatic relationship between Russia 
and the United States.
    We compared our approaches in key areas. And once again, we 
established our common ground. I want to return now to what the 
President said very recently, that Russia and the United States are not 
enemies; they do not threaten each other; and they could be fully good 
allies. And taking into account the fact that the United States and the 
Russian Federation, as no one else, as no other country of the world, 
have accumulated huge amounts of nuclear weapons, weapons of mass 
destruction, we bear a special responsibility for maintaining the common 
peace and security in the world, for building a new architecture of 
security in the world.
    All of this presupposes a very close cooperation for strengthening 
security in the 21st century. And saying this, any unilateral actions 
can only make more complicated various problems and issues.

[[Page 928]]

    One of the central topics of our discussion was the strengthening of 
strategic stability. We exchanged our views on our approaches. It was 
very important for me to hear how and what the President of the United 
States thinks and to hear directly from him.
    In turn, naturally, I expressed the approaches of Russia in this 
sphere. The differences in approaches do exist, and naturally, in one 
short moment, it's impossible to overcome all of them. But I am 
convinced that ahead of us we have a constructive dialog and the will to 
talk about these topics, to discuss, to hear, to listen--to listen and 
to hear each other. And to my mind, this is very important.
    The President and I have agreed that we're going to tell our 
Ministers of Defense, Secretaries of Defense, Foreign Ministers, to 
continue in this vein, to continue this discussion without any pauses.
    Of course, we discussed some very difficult regional issues, the 
Near East and Afghanistan and the Balkans. I have to say that this 
discussion showed that the differences in our approaches in the very 
fundamental areas are much less than that which unites us. The 
differences in our positions, positions of the two countries, really are 
not of a fundamental nature, a global nature, something which cannot be 
solved--not at all. I think that it would be very incorrect for us to 
start forcing out issues and arguments and not take into account the 
very fundamental, main concepts and issues in our relationships, which 
are the basis and the whole foundation of the relationship between the 
Russian Federation and the United States of America.
    The President and I are united in saying that the economic ties 
between our two countries do not correspond to the potential of our two 
countries. The Government of the Russian Federation, businessmen of both 
countries, and the U.S. administration, of course, can do a lot more to 
support the effectiveness of our economic ties. And the President 
expressed that we need an additional impulse from our businessmen, that 
we will do everything possible to receive a very high-level business 
delegation of the United States to Russia, moreover, especially if it is 
headed by one of the senior officials of the U.S. administration.
    Here there are a lot of very specific issues. We talked about energy 
resources; we talked about using the Caspian Basin. You know, very soon 
the new pipeline system is going to go into effect, which is going to be 
transporting energy resources from the Caspian region through novie 
russkies. And this is a joint project of two companies, Russian and 
American companies. I'm sure that this will not be the last such 
project.
    I want to stress here that the issues that were discussed at 
Ljubljana are going to be the subject of our continuing dialog. And we 
really, in fact, did agree that we're going to talk in Genoa; we're 
going to talk in Shanghai at the APEC Conference. And I'm very grateful 
to the President of the United States for inviting me to the United 
States. I would do it with great pleasure, especially because he invited 
to have me over at his ranch. And I'm going to receive him in my own 
home, not just in Russia but in my own home.
    And the last, in the last few months, and at the very threshold of 
our meeting, there was a lot of discussion about the fact that U.S.-
Russian relations are overburdened by problems and issues that are 
somehow reaching a critical stage. I think the very nature and the 
result of our discussion today between myself and the President of the 
United States will put an end to all of these rumors. We see very 
clearly a very positive prospect of our relationship in the future. And 
we are all geared up to work in the future constructively, 
pragmatically, and to establish very good, predictable relationship.
    And of course, I cannot but say the very highest about the 
hospitality of our hosts, who provided us with all the conditions 
necessary for holding this very good meeting--good, moral atmosphere.
    Thank you. Thank you ever so much.
    Moderator. Dear colleagues, we have said that we're going to give 
the first opportunity to ask a question to journalists from Slovenia, 
please.

[At this point, a question was asked, and an English translation was not 
provided.]

    President Bush. I don't think the interpreter could have done it in 
English, but anyway, go ahead.

[[Page 929]]

NATO Enlargement

    Q. On the next summit in Prague, where, according to Lord Robertson, 
enlargement will happen, and what is the Russian position on 
enlargement?
    President Bush. I went to my first NATO summit, and there appears to 
be a uniform desire to expand NATO. This is certainly the position of my 
country. But as I reminded the leaders today, that there is a process, 
and the countries must work toward that process. I am impressed by the 
progress being made in this country, and we will take that under 
consideration when we meet in Prague a year from this fall.

The Balkans

    Q. A question for you, Mr. Putin. You're leaving from Slovenia, 
straight to Belgrade. Do you have any concrete solutions for the Balkan 
crisis?
    President Putin. As I understand you, what you have in mind is the 
situation in the region.
    Yes, it's working. It's working. It's good to have dealings with 
effective people that make things work.
    As I understand it, what you have in mind is the overall situation 
in the Balkans, right? Macedonia, Kosovo, et cetera, right? Well, we do 
have our own idea, vision of what's happening here and how we should 
act.
    Today we did discuss with the President of the United States, Mr. 
Bush. The most important things that we have to really pay attention to 
is to put an effective block, an end to any kind of extremism and 
feelings of intolerance--religious intolerance. People who are trying to 
solve, no matter how complex an issue of national or ethnic or religious 
conflict--weapons simply are not those kinds of things which can solve 
these problems.
    In some of the countries of the former Soviet Union, for instance--
you probably know, we talk about this very often--in the Baltic States, 
for instance, we feel that human rights are damaged, especially of the 
ethnic Russian populations. In Latvia, for instance, 40 percent of the 
population is Russian-speaking, a huge number of non-citizens--in other 
words, people who can't even get citizenship. We don't send weapons 
there. We don't support those people. We don't call it terrorism. We 
don't try to get people to rise up on the basis of national or ethnic 
origin or religious feelings. We don't encourage people to take up arms 
to fight against that.
    I stress against, and I insist that people who try to do this do not 
deserve the support of the international community. But on the contrary, 
the international community must say once and for all, everybody who 
does this will receive due answer. These things can only be solved 
through negotiations. This is a very difficult process. It requires 
patience, but there is no other way.

National Missile Defense/Nuclear Proliferation

    Q. A question to both of you, if I may. President Putin, President 
Bush has said that he's going to go forward with his missile defense 
plans basically with or without your blessing. Are you unyielding in 
your opposition to his missile defense plan? Is there anything you can 
do to stop it?
    And to President Bush, did President Putin ease your concern at all 
about the spread of nuclear technologies by Russia, and is this a man 
that Americans can trust?
    President Bush. Yes. Do you want to go first?
    President Putin. Now, as far as the issue of antimissile defense, 
the official position of the Russian Government is known. I don't think 
we need to spend time to, yet again, declare it. We proceed from the 
idea that the 1972 ABM Treaty is the cornerstone of the modern 
architecture of international security. We proceed from the premise that 
there are elements which unite us with our partners in the United 
States.
    When we hear about things like concerns of the future and about 
threats from the future, we do agree that together, we have to sit down 
and have a good think about this. But we proceed from the idea that 
these concerns and threats are different kinds of things. Threats have 
to be defined. We have to look at where they come from and then make 
some decisions as to how we have to counter them.
    We feel that we can do it best together. Based upon today's dialog, 
I've come to the conclusion, and the impression, that we might have a 
very constructive development

[[Page 930]]

here in this arena; at least the President of the United States listened 
carefully. He listens to our arguments very carefully. But I think the 
specialists, as I have said before, have to sit down, have contact to 
identify the overall platform that we're going to work from, and try to 
find a way together to solve these problems.
    Now, as far as the issues of proliferation and nonproliferation, I 
have to say that in our opinion, this is a topic that's very, very 
closely tied to the ABM Treaty, because many other things are hooked 
onto this same string, and many threshold states, when it comes to the 
destruction of a previous accord, can only be happy and say, ``Look, 
fantastic. Yesterday, we were threshold. Nobody agreed--nobody took any 
account of us--now, today, recognize us.'' This is a problem we're going 
to have to really think very hard about.
    Can we trust Russia? I'm not going to answer to that. I could ask 
the very same question.
    President Bush. I found him to be very straightforward and 
trustworthy. We had a very good dialog. I was able to get a sense of his 
soul, a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of 
his country. And I appreciated so very much the frank dialog.
    There was no kind of diplomatic chitchat, trying to throw each other 
off balance. There was a straightforward dialog. And that's the 
beginning of a very constructive relationship. I wouldn't have invited 
him to my ranch if I didn't trust him. [Laughter]
    Secondly, I appreciate the opportunity to be able to talk about a 
new relationship, and we will continue these dialogs. The basis for my 
discussion began with this simple premise, that Russia and the United 
States must establish a new relationship beyond that of the old cold war 
mentality. The cold war said loud and clear that we're opponents and 
that we bring the peace through the ability for each of us to destroy 
each other.
    Friends don't destroy each other. People who cooperate do not have a 
basis of peace on destruction. Our nations are confronted with new 
threats in the 21st century: Terror in the hands of what we call rogue 
nations is a threat. I expressed my concern, and so did the President, 
very openly, about nations on his border and nations that can't stand 
America's freedoms developing the capacity to hold each of us hostage. 
And he agreed.
    I brought up concerns about Iran. And I'm hesitant to put words in 
the President's mouth, but he said he's concerned, as well--I think that 
accurately categorizes your position--and we'll work together to stop 
the spread of weapons of mass destruction. And I believe as we go down 
the road that we'll be able to develop a constructive relationship as to 
how to use our technologies and research and willingness to keep the 
peace, in a way that makes the world more peaceful.
    I was so pleased that we were able to begin constructive, real 
dialog between our Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and Mr. Andrei Ivanov. 
These will be fruitful discussions, and I believe what people will see 
is a strategy, a joint strategy. The President's a history major, and so 
am I. And we remember the old history. It's time to write new history in 
a positive and constructive way.

NATO Expansion

    Q. This is a question to both Presidents, if you allow. Mr. Bush, 
you partially answered--you talked about issues of strategic security; 
you talked about the future. In this connection, could you tell us 
anything about what you talked about in the expansion of NATO? Thank 
you.
    President Bush. [Inaudible]--to expand, so long as nations met their 
obligations and fulfilled their--met what's called the MAP process. I 
said yesterday in Poland, I felt like a secure border for Russia, a 
border with safe and friendly nations, is positive. And I expressed my 
government's position very plainly. And the President, of course, had a 
reaction, which I'm sure he'll give you right now.
    I thought he was going to give it to you right now. [Laughter]
    President Putin. Yes, I'm going to lay it out for you. I'm going to 
lay it out for you. Look, I'm going to read to you something which was 
recently declassified. Speaking for myself--look this was printed a 
while back, but there's a document--attached addendum documents which 
were secret. Copy declassified; it was top secret. Look, here it is. 
This is a note of the Soviet Government from

[[Page 931]]

1954, sent to the countries of NATO. Here's what it says: ``The 
leadership, holding to its inalienable policy and taking into account 
all the tensions, this Soviet Government announces its intention to 
enter into discussions with NATO countries about its participation in 
NATO, with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.''
    And this was the answer--look, here's the answer: The Soviet 
Government proposed--they were talking about the widening of the NATO 
pact and what they're going to do about bringing the Soviet Union in. 
``There is no need to stress the completely unrealistic nature of such a 
proposal from the Soviet Union.'' That's the answer that NATO gave.
    So what we're talking about here, you remember about a year ago, I 
think, somebody asked a question about, ``What's your attitude? Is it 
possible that Russia is going to join in NATO or not?'' I said, ``Why 
not?'' And right away, Mrs. Albright, former Secretary of State--she was 
some place on a trip to Europe--she said, ``Look, we're not talking 
about this right now.''
    Look, you understand that our attitude toward NATO was not one 
toward an enemy organization; of course not. And I'm very grateful to 
the President of the United States that finally, from the territory of 
the United States, these words were heard. This is very important for 
us. We value this. When a President of a great power says that he wants 
to see Russia as a partner, and maybe even as an ally, this is worth so 
much to us.
    But if that's the case, then, look, we ask ourselves a question: 
Look, this is a military organization. Yes, it's military. They don't 
want us there; they don't want us there. It's moving toward our border. 
Yes, it's moving toward our border. Why?
    So this is the foundation of all our concerns, not just to bring it 
in or not bring it in, or accept NATO or not accept NATO. Look, the 
positive feeling that we now have developed today with President Bush, 
this could be a separate subject of discussion. Because you know Russia 
is cooperating with NATO, we have an agreement; we have association; we 
have various accords and treaties; and there's no need to fire up this 
whole situation.

National Missile Defense

    Q. Mr. President, did you offer President Putin any inducements in 
this conversation to ease his opposition to a U.S. missile defense plan?
    And President Putin, to follow up on your comments just now, does 
the simple fact of President Bush saying that Russia is not an enemy 
actually change your strategic or military planning?
    President Bush. I offered something, logic and a hopeful tomorrow. I 
offered the opportunity, which the President is going to seize, for us, 
as leaders of great powers, to work together.
    We have a unique opportunity to address the true threats of the 21st 
century together. We have a great moment during our tenures to cast 
aside the suspicions and doubts that used to plague our nations. And I'm 
committed to do so.
    I said in Poland, and I'll say it again, Russia is not the enemy of 
the United States. As a matter of fact, after our meeting today, I'm 
convinced it can be a strong partner and friend, more so than people 
could imagine.
    The leader of Russia is working hard on behalf of his people to 
promote prosperity and peace. And I believe our nations can work 
together to achieve prosperity and peace, not only within our respective 
countries but around the world. I believe that.
    And so we didn't have a bargaining session. We had a session of two 
men who have come to office for the right purpose, not only to represent 
our countries but given our standing, our respective standings, to work 
together to deal with the threats of the 21st century. A threat of the 
21st century is energy. A threat of the 21st century is poverty. A 
threat of the 21st century is the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
    And as the President said to me clearly, he said that, ``You're not 
the only nation that cares about weapons of mass destruction; we care.'' 
And we have an opportunity to do that. We have an opportunity to reject 
extremists that could threaten our respective nations and respect our--
and threaten our alliances. And we will do so. We will do so.
    And today has been a very constructive day. Everybody is trying to 
read body language. Mark me down as very pleased with

[[Page 932]]

the progress and the frank discussion. We will meet again in July, then 
later in the fall. Then we'll have the great Crawford, Texas, summit. 
And I believe that people who watch carefully our relationship will see 
that it grows and emerges. It starts with trust. Ron [Ron Fournier, 
Associated Press] asked a great question: Can I trust him? And I can. 
And from that basis we can begin a very fruitful relationship.
    Q. So there were no specific--that you offered in this meeting, just 
logic?
    President Bush. We did not--well, first of all, our relationship is 
larger than just security relationships. It's bigger than figuring out 
how to deal with the ABM Treaty; it's much bigger than that. It deals 
with two leaders who share values.
    The President told me something very interesting. He said, ``I read 
where you named your daughters after your mother and your mother-in-
law.'' And I said, ``Yes, I'm a great diplomat, aren't I?'' [Laughter] 
And he said, ``I did the same thing.'' [Laughter] I said, ``Mr. 
President, you're a fine diplomat, as well.'' We share our love for our 
families. We've got common interests. And from that basis we will seize 
the moment to make a difference in the world. That's why he ran for the 
Presidency, and it's why I ran for the Presidency.
    This is not a bargaining session. The President didn't say, ``You 
know, if you do this, I'll do that.'' It's bigger than that. It's a 
bigger relationship than that, and it's important to understand that.

Russia-U.S. Relations

    Q. Question on whether the simple fact of President Bush saying that 
you are no longer--the United States is not your enemy actually changes 
your military thinking or your strategic thinking and planning?
    President Putin. This is not a question; I think this has become an 
interview. [Laughter] But look, nonetheless, I'll respond. It's not by 
accident that I said that's it's important for us. And it seems to me 
that if you start with a mutual understanding that we are partners, 
that's the way we're going to move to try to solve this very important 
issue.
    Look, we didn't just sit down and say that our specialists are going 
to meet, and they're going to have an exchange of views. But we agreed 
that they're going to discuss very specific questions which cause 
concern to both sides, very specific items. I'm not prepared right now 
to get into this publicly, but we're talking about specifics.
    Moreover, I have to say that between Russia and the United States, 
we have two protocols that we signed on nonstrategic ABM systems in New 
York, and I think it was in Helsinki. And this, too, is a subject of 
very special review. I think the specialists should define all these 
things. Again, I define--I repeat--define the threats and those things 
which just stand in the way; to look at the power that both countries 
have to neutralize these threats. I think we can work out a common 
approach.

Russia-U.S. Economic Ties

    Q. To both Presidents, if you allow. Getting back to trade and 
economic issues, ties between our two countries, how soon do you think 
we can expect a delegation of American businessmen to Moscow? And do you 
have any plans on creating an intergovernmental commission of various 
agencies, which could stimulate economic ties between the United States 
and Russia? Thank you.
    President Bush. I'll talk to the Secretary of Commerce as soon as I 
get back and tell him of our agreement and get him moving. Sometimes I 
worry a little bit about commissions. If commissions exist just to 
exist, then I don't think it's fruitful. If commissions exist in order 
to stimulate action, then perhaps.
    Let me say one other area where the United States is in agreement 
with Russia. We think Russia ought to be admitted into the World Trade 
Organization. And we'll work toward that end. The Russian President has 
expressed a desire to join the WTO, and I think it makes sense. I think 
that will help a lot. And there's a lot of areas in our business 
relationships.
    I reminded the President that oftentimes, people speak in terms of--
they say Russia is a country of great resources, only referring to the 
energy resources, the mining resources, the timber resources. That's 
true. But Russia has got a resource that's invaluable in this new era, 
and that's brainpower.

[[Page 933]]

Russia's got great mathematicians and engineers who can just as easily 
participate in the high-tech world as American engineers and American 
mathematicians. And that's an area of great interest to me, and it's an 
area of great interest to the President. It's an area where we can begin 
a fruitful dialog.
    The deployment of capital is something that's very important to 
Russia; it's important to our businessmen. The President understands 
it's important to have rule of law, a reasonable tax system, 
transparency in the economy. And he's working toward that, and I am 
grateful. Our businessmen and our Secretary of Commerce will hear that 
when they travel to Russia.
    President Putin. You know, I agree with the President in that to 
overload our relationship by a variety of bureaucratic structures and 
organizations--that's not always justified. The most important thing is 
to create favorable conditions for effective work by the business 
community. We know the plans of President Bush with respect to his 
taxation policy and with respect to other measures which he is planning, 
with respect to the economy of the United States.
    From our part, we still have to do so much that would make Russia 
attractive for foreign investors. Although among international 
investors, the Americans are in first place. Naturally, first and 
foremost, we have to take care of the issues of the energy problem in 
the world at large. American business is showing a great interest in 
this sphere.
    But we also know that President Bush has plans in the atomic energy 
field. Here, too, we think we've got a couple of things we could talk 
about. We have a very fruitful area of cooperation we could work in. We 
have a number of various structures that are working very appropriately 
now in reprocessing uranium. We've got pretty good cooperation in space 
now. It seems to me that to a significant extent, that which exists now, 
it is functioning very successfully now, the space station, the 
International Space Station and the participation of the United States 
and Russia. We have so many other areas we'd like to work in. But when 
the businessmen come--that depends, of course, on the U.S. side--but 
we'll receive them at any time that's appropriate to them.

Note: The President's 11th news conference began at 5:30 p.m. at Brdo 
Castle. President Putin spoke in Russian, and his remarks were 
translated by an interpreter. In his remarks, President Bush referred to 
his mother, Barbara Bush, mother-in-law, Jenna Welch, and his daughters, 
Jenna and Barbara P.; Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov; 
and President Milan Kucan and Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek of Slovenia. 
The President also referred to MAP process, NATO's Membership Action 
Plan process. President Putin referred to former Secretary of State 
Madeline K. Albright. A reporter referred to NATO Secretary General Lord 
Robertson.