*EPF402 09/02/2004
White House Report, September 2: Russia, Greece
(Bush condemns Russian hostage-takers, offers U.S. assistance to Putin) (240)

President Bush telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin September 1 and said the United States stands ready to provide assistance in resolving the hostage situation at a Russian school near Chechnya.

According to press reports, as many as 350 people, including schoolchildren, were taken hostage September 1 at a school in the North Caucasus town of Beslan by armed attackers demanding the release of fighters captured by Russian authorities in Ingushetia. They have threatened to kill the hostages or blow up the school building if Russian forces attempt to storm the premises.

Speaking to the press September 1 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan condemned the hostage taking "in the strongest terms," and said President Bush told President Putin that the United States stands "side-by-side with Russia in the war on terrorism."

"[W]e have offered whatever assistance they request with the hostage situation," McClellan said.

President Bush also telephoned Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to thank him for Greece's efforts to provide security for the athletes and for those attending the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, as well as to congratulate the prime minister on his country's successful hosting of the games. McClellan said Prime Minister Karamanlis also congratulated Bush on the success of the U.S. Olympians.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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