Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37 Issue 46 (Monday, November 19, 2001)

[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 46 (Monday, November 19, 2001)]
[Pages 1652-1658]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's News Conference With President Vladimir Putin of Russia

November 13, 2001

President Bush. It's a great honor for me to welcome President
Vladimir Putin to the White House and to welcome his wife, as well. This
is a new day in the long history of Russian-American relations, a day of
progress and a day of hope.
The United States and Russia are in the midst of a transformation of
a relationship that will yield peace and progress. We're transforming
our relationship from one of hostility and suspicion to one based on
cooperation and trust that will enhance opportunities for peace and
progress for our citizens and for people all around the world.
The challenge of terrorism makes our close cooperation on all issues
even more urgent. Russia and America share the same threat and the same
resolve. We will fight and defeat terrorist networks wherever they
exist. Our highest priority is to keep terrorists from acquiring weapons
of mass destruction.
Today we agreed that Russian and American experts will work together
to share information and expertise to counter the threat from
bioterrorism. We agreed that it is urgent that we improve the physical
protection and accounting of nuclear materials and prevent illicit
nuclear trafficking. And we will strengthen our efforts to cut off every
possible source of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons, materials,
and expertise. Today we also agreed to work more closely to combat
organized crime and drug trafficking, a leading source of terrorist
financing.
Both nations are committed to the reconstruction of Afghanistan,
once hostilities there have ceased and the Taliban are no longer in
control. We support the U.N.'s efforts to fashion a post-Taliban
government that is broadly based and multiethnic. The new government
must export neither terror nor drugs, and it must respect fundamental
human rights.
As Russia and the United States work more closely to meet new 21st
century threats, we're also working hard to put the threats of the 20th
century behind us once and for all, and we can report great progress.
The current levels of our nuclear forces do not reflect today's
strategic realities. I have informed President Putin that the United
States will reduce our operationally deployed strategic nuclear warheads
to a level between 1,700 and 2,200 over the next decade, a level fully
consistent with American security.
Russia and the United States have also had vast discussions about
our defensive capabilities, the ability to defend ourselves as we head
into the 21st century. We have different points of view about the ABM
Treaty, and we will continue dialog and discussions about the ABM
Treaty, so that we may be able to develop a new strategic framework that
enables both of us to meet the true threats of the 21st century as
partners and friends, not as adversaries.
The spirit of partnership that now runs through our relationship is
allowing the United States and Russia to form common approaches to
important regional issues. In the Middle East, we agree that all parties
must take practical actions to ease tensions so that peace talks can
resume. We urge the parties to move without delay to implement the Tenet
work plan and the Mitchell report recommendations.
In Europe, we share a vision of a European Atlantic community whole,
free, and at peace, one that includes all of Europe's democracies, and
where the independence and sovereignty of all nations are respected.
Russia should be a part of this Europe.
We will work together with NATO and NATO members to build new
avenues of cooperation and consultation between Russia and NATO. NATO
members and Russia are increasingly allied against terrorism, regional
instability, and other threats of our age. And NATO must reflect this
alliance.
We're encouraged by President Putin's commitment to a political
dialog in Chechnya. Russia has also made important strides on
immigration and the protection of

[[Page 1653]]

religious and ethnic minorities, including Russia's Jewish community. On
this issue, Russia is in a fundamentally different place than it was
during the Soviet era. President Putin told me that these gains for
freedom will be protected and expanded. Our Foreign Ministers have
sealed this understanding in an exchange of letters. Because of this
progress, my administration will work with Congress to end the
application of Jackson-Vanik amendment to Russia.
Russia has set out to strengthen free market institutions and the
rule of law. On this basis, our economic relationship is developing
quickly, and we will look for further ways to expand it.
A strong, independent media is a vital part of a new Russia. We've
agreed to launch a dialog on media entrepreneurship, so that American
and Russian media representatives can meet and make practical
recommendations to both our Governments, in order to advance our goal of
free media and free exchange of ideas.
Russia and the United States will continue to face complex and
difficult issues. Yet, we've made great progress in a very short period
of time. Today, because we are working together, both our countries and
the world are more secure and safe. I want to thank President Putin for
the spirit of our meetings. Together, we're making history, as we make
progress.
Laura and I are looking forward to welcoming the Putins to our ranch
in Crawford, Texas. I can't wait to show you my State and where I live.
In the meantime, I hope you have a fine stay here in Washington, DC. And
it's my honor to welcome you to the White House, sir, and welcome you to
the podium.
President Putin. Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether I would
have an opportunity to address such a representative audience of the
press and media. I would like to begin, anyway, with words of thanks to
the President of the United States, not only for his kind invitation to
visit the United States and Washington but also for his very informal
initiation of our negotiations earlier today. Myself and my colleagues
are very pleased to be here, this historic building of the White House.
And President Bush deemed it appropriate not only to tour me, to guide
me through the premises of this house where he lives, he--saw almost
every picture hanging on the walls of this great building. But it is not
only very interesting, but it also changes for the better the quality of
our relationship.
I would like to once again thank the President and the American
people, and I would like to express our condolences in connection with
the recent plane crash in the United States. As they say in Russia,
tragedy does not come alone, and tragedies always come in many numbers.
I am confident that the U.S.--American people would face this tragedy
very bravely.
I would like to inform you that the Washington part of our
negotiations is being completed, and our discussions proved very
constructive, interesting, and useful and will continue at Crawford. But
the preliminary results we evaluate as extremely positive.
This is our fourth meeting with President Bush in the last few
months. I believe this is a vivid demonstration of the dynamic nature of
the Russian-American relations. We have come to understand each other
better, and our positions are becoming closer on the key issues of
bilateral and international relations. We are prepared now to seek
solutions in all areas of our joint activities. We intend to dismantle
conclusively the vestiges of the cold war and to develop new--entirely
new partnership for long term.
Of course, we discussed in detail the subject matter of fight
against terrorism. The tragic developments of September the 11th
demonstrated vividly the need for a joint effort to counter this global
threat. We consider this threat as a global threat, indeed, and the
terrorists and those who help them should know that the justice is
inescapable, and it will reach them wherever they try to hide.
Also, post-crisis political settlement in Afghanistan was discussed.
The most important thing for today is to return peace and the life in
honor to Afghanistan, so that no threat originate from Afghanistan to
the international stability. Of course, we do not intend to force upon
the Afghani people the solutions; it is for them to resolve those issues

[[Page 1654]]

with the active participation of the United Nations.
We discussed in detail our dialog related to strategic offensive and
defensive weapons. Here, we managed to achieve certain progress. First
of all, it has to do with the prospects of reaching a reliable and
verifiable agreement on further reductions of the U.S. and Russian
weapons.
Here I must say, we appreciate very much the decision by the
President to reduce strategic offensive weapons to the limits indicated
by him. And we, for our part, will try to respond in kind.
On the issues of missile defense, the position of Russia remains
unchanged, and we agreed to continue dialog and consultations on this. I
believe that it's too early now to draw the line under the discussions
of these issues, and we will have an opportunity to continue the work on
this--one of the very difficult issues--at the Crawford ranch.
We also exchanged on a number of topical issues of international
importance, the Balkans, Iraq. And we reiterated in a joint statement
the resolve of the United States and Russia to facilitate settlement in
the Middle East and the early resumption of negotiations between
Israelis and Palestinians.
We also discussed seriously the development of relations between
Russia and NATO, including taking into account a changed international
situation. We consider that there are opportunities for an entirely new
mechanism, joint decisionmaking, and coordinated action in the area of
security and stability.
We considered in detail a number of economic cooperation issues. The
Russian-American dialog in this area has become recently more
constructive and more tangible. Such major investment projects as
Sakhalin I and Caspian Pipeline Consortium are gaining momentum.
Successful is cooperation in the air-space, mining, chemistry, car
building, and other industries. Direct contacts are expanding between
entrepreneurs of the two countries, including within the Russian-
American business dialog.
It is with satisfaction that we note a certain progress in issues
related to the Russia's accession to the WTO, in recognizing Russia as a
market economy country, and we've felt a great degree of understanding
that such issues should be resolved, I mean, dealing with the Jackson-
Vanik amendment, not de facto but in legal terms. And in this context,
our Foreign Minister and the Secretary of State, Messrs. Ivanov and
Powell, exchanged letters reiterating the resolve of Russia and the
United States to observe human rights and religious freedoms.
Of course, the capabilities embedded in the bilateral relationship
have not been fully implemented. The key--we have quite a lot of things
to do, but we are confident that the success is, by and large,
predetermined by our resolve to cooperate energetically and
constructively. That, and I'm confident, would benefit both countries
and which is reflected, also, in our visit to this country today.
Thank you.

Situation in Afghanistan

Q. Mr. President, welcome to the White House, sir. Mr. President,
the Northern Alliance forces took over Kabul, and there are reports of
executions of POWs and other violent reprisals. Can the Alliance be
trusted to form a broad-based government? If not, what should happen
next to stabilize Afghanistan, and what role, if any, should U.S. troops
play in that political phase?
President Bush. First of all, we're making great progress in our
objective, and that is to tighten the net and eventually bring Al Qaida
to justice, and at the same time, deal with the Government that has been
harboring them.
President Putin and I spent a lot of time talking about the Northern
Alliance and their relationship to Kabul, as well as Mazar-e Sharif and
other cities that have now been liberated from the Taliban. I made it
very clear to him that we would continue to work with the Northern
Alliance to make sure they recognized that in order for there to be a
stable Afghanistan, which is one of our objectives, after the Taliban
leaves, that the country be a good neighbor, that they must recognize
that a future government must include a representative from all of
Afghanistan.
We listened very carefully to the comments coming out of the
Northern Alliance today. And they made it very clear they had

[[Page 1655]]

no intention of occupying Kabul. That's what they said. I have seen
reports, which you refer to, and I also saw a report that said, on their
way out of town, the Taliban was wreaking havoc on the citizenry of
Kabul. And if that be the case--I haven't had it verified one way or the
other, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. After all, the Taliban
has been wreaking havoc on the entire country for over a decade. This
has been on of the most repressive regimes in the history of mankind.
But we will continue to work with our Northern Alliance--with the
Northern Alliance commanders to make sure they respect the human rights
of the people that they are liberating.
I also saw reports--and I think President Putin mentioned this
today, as well--that in some of the northern cities, there was great
joyous--a wonderful, joyous occasion as the citizens were free, free
from repression, free from a dictatorial government. But we are both
mindful, particularly mindful of the need for us to work with our
Northern Alliance friends to treat people with respect.
President Putin. All our actions were aimed at liberating the
northern parts of Afghanistan and the capital of Afghanistan, liberate
from the Taliban regime. And any military action is accompanied not only
by the military resistance but also an information resistance, what we
are witnessing right now, exactly.
We tend to forget now the destruction of the cultural heritage of
humankind. We tend to forget now the atrocities by Taliban. And we are
talking less than usual of the Taliban harboring international
terrorism. The information that Northern Alliance are shooting--are
shooting the prisoners of war was launched a few days ago. The Northern
Alliance was not in Kabul a few days ago; they were liberating northern
parts of the country.
And for those who do not know, I will tell, the northern part of the
country is inhabited by the ethnic groups represented in the Northern
Alliance; I mean, Uzbeks and Tajiks. It is very difficult for me to
imagine them shooting their own population. I utterly exclude this. If
there are any instances in the course of the military action of the
violation of human rights and treatment of the prisoners of war, we must
investigate and take action. But we need proof.
Talking of this, we should not forget the things that we see: the
way people meet advancing Northern Alliance troops, liberating the
cities and villages of the Taliban; the women getting rid of chadors and
burning them. And this, I would like you, ladies and gentlemen of the
press, to pay attention to.
Thank you.

Possible Visit to Russia/Nuclear Arms Reduction

Q. Specific numbers were mentioned here with regard to the
reductions of offensive weapons. When, and if at all, one could expect
that such specific numbers made public be substantiated by some papers,
maybe during a possible visit by President Bush to Moscow? And by the
way, when could this visit take place?
President Bush. Got to get invited first. [Laughter]
Do you want to start?
President Putin. President Bush is aware of that, and I would like
to reiterate: He has an open invitation to visit the Russian Federation,
with an official working or a private visit, in any format, at any time
convenient for him. I mean, the best time would be during the time of
the beginning of the year, White Nights in St. Petersburg. [Laughter] Of
course, the official part would start in Moscow, in the capital of the
Russian Federation.
But as for the business part, I think that before that time, our
advisers will continue working. And we, for our part, for the Russian
part, are prepared to present all our agreements in a treaty form,
including the issues of verification and control.
President Bush. I think it's interesting to note that a new
relationship based upon trust and cooperation is one that doesn't need
endless hours of arms control discussions. I can remember watching the
news years ago and seeing that people would sit at tables for hours and
hours and hours trying to reach reduced levels of nuclear armament.
My attitude is: Here's what we can live with. And so I've announced
a level that we're going to--that we'll stick by. To me, that's how you
approach a relationship that

[[Page 1656]]

is changed and different. And we'd be glad to--and I looked the man in
the eye and shook his hand, but if we need to write it down on a piece
of paper, I'll be glad to do that. But that's what our Government is
going to do over the next 10 years.
And we don't need an arms control agreement or an arms control--let
me say this--we don't need arms control negotiations to reduce our
weaponry in a significant way. And today you've now heard for the first
time the level that I think is commensurate with the spirit of reducing
our own weaponry, and at the same time, keeping the peace.

ABM Treaty

Q. You mentioned vast discussions on the ABM Treaty. What progress
are you making? And are you convinced you won't have to withdraw from
the treaty now?
President Bush. Well, I'm convinced that the treaty is outdated, and
we need to move beyond it. And we're having discussions along those
lines. We had good discussions today; we had good discussions in
Shanghai; we had good discussions in Slovenia; and we'll have good
discussions in Crawford. This is obviously a subject that's got a lot of
ramifications to it. I clearly heard what the President has had to say
and his view of the ABM Treaty. He's heard what I've had to say, and
we'll continue working it.
But my position is, is that it is a piece of paper that's codified a
relationship that no longer exists, codified a hateful relationship. And
now we've got a friendly relationship. And I think we need to have a new
strategic framework that reflects the new relationship, based upon trust
and cooperation. But we'll continue to work it.

Freedom of the Press

Q. A question to President Bush. His advisers expressed concern over
the situation with the freedom of speech in Russia. But after September
11th, it would seem to me that the situation is changing somewhat in the
United States, too. There are special rules for covering anti-terrorist
operation, bin Laden is denied any opportunity to present his views in
the media--quite appropriately, in my view--and so on and so forth. The
authority of the special services have been extended, and there have
been rumors that some of your members of your administration went to
Hollywood explaining to them a few things. Where is the line in the sand
where--beyond which it is impossible to cross, delineating a voluntary
restraint on the part of the media and----
President Bush. Yes. First of all, I have been trying to tame our
press corps ever since I got into politics, and I've failed miserably.
[Laughter] They get to express their opinions, sometimes in the form of
news--[laughter]--any way they want to.
I asked them the other day, ``Would it be okay if I cut a 30-minute
tape, a piece of propaganda? No questions. Just here--here it is; here's
30 minutes of me talking. Please run it not only across your airwaves
but run it internationally, if you don't mind. I've got something to say
about the conflict and our fight against evil.'' They said, no, they're
not going to do that. If I'm going to have to get on the news, they've
got to ask me questions.
And so we extended the same courtesy to Usama bin Laden. He doesn't
get to just cut a 30-minute tape, where he may be calling his soldiers
to action, where he is definitely condemning all Jews, Christians,
threatening individuals, to be able to put a 30-minute propaganda tape
on the free airwaves. And we made that suggestion. We didn't dictate; we
just suggested. And some of the news organizations--or all the news
organizations readily agreed that was a responsible posture to take. And
for that, I'm grateful.
But the press in America has never been stronger and never been
freer and never been more vibrant--sometimes to my chagrin and a lot of
times to my delight. But whoever thinks that I have the capability or my
government has the capability of reining in this press corps simply
doesn't understand the American way.
President Putin. I would also offer a couple of words. Today, giving
a rostrum to international terrorists would be equal to giving an
opportunity to--[inaudible]--newspapers of the Second World War times
to--an opportunity to print Dr. Goebbels' articles. This question could
be turned in the following way: What is the limit and what is the
measure of giving an opportunity to the terrorists and destructive
element to use

[[Page 1657]]

media in pursuit of their antihuman, inhuman objectives? Let's look at
it this way.

Situation in Afghanistan

Q. Yes, sir, Mr. President, thank you. If I could return to the
situation in Afghanistan, where the concern seems to be a potential
breakdown in civil order and a possible dramatic increase in civil
conflict between the tribes in the Northern Alliance and other groups,
which President Putin's country has experience with, what specifically
can be done in the next several days to ensure the safety of the
citizens of Kabul? And does the Northern Alliance, now that they've
taken that city, enjoy pride of place at the bargaining table in the
future of Afghanistan?
President Bush. There is no preferential place at the bargaining
table. All people will be treated the same. That's what we're working
with our friends the Russians on. That's the concept we're working on
with the U.N. And that's only fair. That's been the vision all along.
That's been the vision we talked about in Shanghai. It's the vision we
have shared again today.
Secondly, I repeat, the Northern Alliance, with whom President Putin
has got some influence and I've got some influence, has told us both
they have no intention of occupying--and they've said this publicly--
they intend not to occupy Kabul, which is fine. That's the way it ought
to be. And we will continue to work with their commanders. We've got
troops there with their commanders, and we will continue to urge
restraint.
Again, I think before we jump to conclusions, we want to make sure
we understand what the facts are, because the evacuating army has been
one that has held this country--has terrorized this country for a long
period of time. But any--regardless of that, any--any--army, advancing
or retreating, needs to treat people with respect. And we will continue
to work that they do so.
President Putin. Well, the thing is that the Northern Alliance did
not take Kabul by storm. The Northern Alliance is looming over--has been
looming over Kabul for a long time. That was our mutual agreement with
President Bush. And suddenly, they discovered, all of a sudden, that
Kabul had been abandoned, and they had to insert there certain security
elements to prevent looting and robberies and murders. There was
complete lawlessness in that city, and the situation must be put under
control, and it was very difficult. It would be very difficult for us if
we--to meet with the Northern Alliance leaders to tell them that they've
negated their obligation.
The city of Kabul was abandoned by Taliban. They were trying to
preserve their manpower and their equipment, a very cunning move on the
part of Taliban. Maybe, technically, their decision was right, but we
should not be deluded on that score. Quite a serious amount of work is
still ahead. They did not disappear; they just moved out of the city, a
few kilometers from there. And I am absolutely in agreement with the
President on the need to follow the developments with a view to
preventing abuses of human rights and maltreatment of the POWs, although
the line we agreed upon has not been yet reached.
Dear colleagues, the final question.

Pakistan/Uzbekistan and Tajikistan

Q. Two questions to two Presidents. Mr. Bush, what is your
evaluation of the situation in Pakistan, which was always in the sphere
of influence of the United States, and whether there are any dangers
that the forces up in opposition to General Musharraf would gain control
of the nuclear weapons?
And to President Putin, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan made available
their airbases and their air corridors to the United States Armed
Forces, giving the green light. Can you tell us whether you gave a green
light to that? Aren't you apprehensive of the struggle for power and
influence in that area?
President Bush. I had a very good dinner with President Musharraf
last Saturday night in New York City. It's the first time I had met him.
My Secretary of State had met him in Pakistan, as had my Secretary of
Defense and other officials in my administration. All of us came away
with our respect for President Musharraf and our desire to make sure
that his administration is successful in Pakistan.
The best way to make sure that terrorists do not end up with nuclear
weaponry in that

[[Page 1658]]

part of the world is for President Musharraf to provide a stable
government and to fulfill what he said he would do, which is to have
elections in a short period of time. And I believe he is--he deserves
our Nation's support, and so we are putting together a economic package
that will help him with debt, help him with the expenses of the ongoing
operations, help him with trade. And we will continue a dialog with the
Pakistan leader, with the full intent of finding ways we can cooperate,
in order to bring stability to that part of the world.
President Putin. With regard to the possible redrawing of the
spheres of influence and the enhanced American influence in the central
Asia, I would like to say the following: I am more concerned with the
presence of the terrorist training camps in the northern Afghanistan,
who send guerrillas to the Caucasus--have been sending in the recent
years. After Ahmed Shah Massoud was killed, I had a very, very sad
feeling. That was prior to September 11th. And I told President Bush at
that time that perhaps some serious developments are in the making. And
this is concerning--this concerns me very much.
If we look at the relationship between the Russian Federation and
the United States from the old standpoint, distrust and the enmity,
that's one thing. If we are looking through the prism of partnership and
alliance, we have nothing to be afraid of. This is one thing. Secondly,
one shouldn't forget that both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are independent
states and decide, therefore, in policies independently, who cooperate
with and at which level.
But focusing my attention at the following circumstance, and I
related it to President Bush quite frankly--we've just mentioned
President Musharraf. We all should support President Musharraf. This
would be the right thing to do. And we agree with this, and we accept
this. It is also true that American flags are being burned in the
streets of the Pakistani cities; one should not leave that unnoticed.
In Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the Muslim countries, too, American
flags are not being burned. Moreover, those countries cooperate, for the
first time, so openly and so consistently with the United States and
with the international alliance against terrorism. Being Muslim
countries with their own problems, none of them are squeaking or crying
foul; they are trying to address their own problems on their own.
And in these conditions, the continued application of Jackson-Vanik
amendment to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and so on and so forth, one
wouldn't call it justified and just. We need to and want to build a new
relationship in the new 21st century.
Thank you very much.
President Bush. Thank you.

Note: The President's news conference began at 1:50 p.m. in the East
Room at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to President
Putin's wife, Lyudmila; Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov of
Russia; Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organization;
and President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan. The President also referred
to the June 13 Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire and security plan
negotiated by CIA Director George J. Tenet; and the Report by the Sharm
al-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee, which was chaired by George J.
Mitchell. President Putin referred to Northern Alliance leader Ahmed
Shah Massoud, victim of a September 9 attack by suicide bombers.
President Putin spoke in Russian, and his remarks were translated by an
interpreter.