[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 24 (Monday, June 17, 2002)]
[Page 1011]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Formal Withdrawal From the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile 
Treaty

June 13, 2002

    Six months ago, I announced that the United States was withdrawing 
from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, and today that 
withdrawal formally takes effect. With the treaty now behind us, our 
task is to develop and deploy effective defenses against limited missile 
attacks. As the events of September 11 made clear, we no longer live in 
the cold war world for which the ABM Treaty was designed. We now face 
new threats, from terrorists who seek to destroy our civilization by any 
means available to rogue states armed with weapons of mass destruction 
and long-range missiles. Defending the American people against these 
threats is my highest priority as Commander in Chief.
    The new strategic challenges of the 21st century require us to think 
differently. But they also require us to act. I call on the Congress to 
approve the full amount of the funding I have requested in my budget for 
missile defense. This will permit the United States to work closely with 
all nations committed to freedom to pursue the policies and capabilities 
needed to make the world a safer place for generations to come.
    I am committed to deploying a missile defense system as soon as 
possible to protect the American people and our deployed forces against 
the growing missile threats we face. Because these threats also endanger 
our allies and friends around the world, it is essential that we work 
together to defend against them, an important task which the ABM Treaty 
prohibited. The United States will deepen our dialog and cooperation 
with other nations on missile defenses.
    Last month, President Vladimir Putin and I agreed that Russia and 
the United States would look for ways to cooperate on missile defenses, 
including expanding military exercises, sharing early warning data, and 
exploring potential joint research and development of missile defense 
technologies. Over the past year, our countries have worked hard to 
overcome the legacy of the cold war and to dismantle its structures. The 
United States and Russia are building a new relationship based on common 
interests and, increasingly, common values. Under the Treaty of Moscow, 
the nuclear arsenals of our nations will be reduced to their lowest 
levels in decades. Cooperation on missile defense will also make an 
important contribution to furthering the relationship we both seek.