Rumsfeld, Ivanov Discuss Missile Defense Issues in Moscow

13 August 2001

Rumsfeld, Ivanov Discuss Missile Defense Issues in Moscow

Effect on ABM Treaty among topics covered

By Merle D. Kellerhals, Jr.
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov discussed a broad spectrum of issues including a proposed U.S. missile defense system and its effect on the U.S.-Russian strategic relationship and the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, Rumsfeld said August 13.

The secretary said at a joint Moscow news briefing with Ivanov that they also discussed political, economic and other security issues, including offensive and defensive missile levels. The transcript of the briefing was made available in Washington.

Rumsfeld said the missile defense negotiations should be regarded as an ongoing process in which each side gains perspective on the other's thinking and concerns.

President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in face-to-face talks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in October, and again in November in the United States to discuss the missile defense initiative and the ABM Treaty.

Ivanov said what the United States and Russia are attempting to do now is create "a whole, completely new configuration" in the strategic security relationship.

"We also discussed a rather new series of issues upon which we agree absolutely with the United States, and that is one of terrorism, real terrorism, something which you can observe every night on television and something which appears in many, many different spots around our globe," Ivanov said.

Rumsfeld said the United States will continue to discuss with the Russians "ways that we can move beyond the ABM Treaty so that the kinds of defenses against ballistic missiles, which (President Bush) feels are desirable and necessary in this world of extensive proliferation, can go forward."

The talks between Rumsfeld and Ivanov had been scheduled for August 13 and 14, but Rumsfeld decided to curtail the Moscow visit after one day and return to Washington.