08 August 2001

Defense Department on Conclusion of U.S.-Russian Discussions

Following is the text of a Defense Department release on the August 7-8 discussions in Washington that grew out of talks in Genoa last month between President George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin on developing the relationship between the United States and Russia:

United States Department of Defense
Washington, D.C.
August 8, 2001
U.S./Russian Discussions Conclude

On Aug. 7-8, 2001, implementing the agreement of Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Ivanov and U. S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, senior advisors from the United States Department of Defense and the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense met at the Pentagon. The meetings were chaired by U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas J. Feith and Russian First Deputy Chief of the General Staff Colonel-General Yuriy Baluyevskiy.

The consultations grew out of talks in Genoa last month between President George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin on developing the U.S./Russian relationship.

In the course of the consultations the delegations had a substantive discussion on a broad range of issues related to strategic stability and international security in the 21st Century. The focus of attention was on the interrelated subjects of offensive and defensive systems. The advisors also worked on the agenda for Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld's visit to Moscow to meet with Defense Minister Ivanov on Aug. 13-14. As further study of certain important issues is necessary, the senior advisors plan to continue their consultations.