13 November 2001

U.S., Russia to Cooperate on Terrorism, Mideast, Afghanistan

President Bush said the United States and Russia have agreed to cooperate in fighting terrorism, rebuilding Afghanistan and searching for peace in the Middle East.

"Our highest priority is to keep terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction," Bush said in a media conference with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Washington November 13.

Bush said Russian and American experts will work together to share information and expertise to counter the threats from bioterrorism, nuclear terrorism, and chemical weapons. He added that the two countries will work together against organized crime and drug trafficking, which often provide terrorist financing.

Russia and the United States will contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan under a broad-based government that represents all groups in the country, Bush said. He said great progress is being made to bring al-Qaida to justice and to deal with the Taliban.

Regarding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Bush said Russia and the United States urge the parties to implement the Tenet work plan for security arrangements and the recommendations of the Mitchell Committee report. The Mitchell recommendations call for a cessation of violence, a cooling-off period, confidence-building measures and a resumption of final status negotiations.

Bush said the United States supports the Pakistani government under President Pervez Musharraf and is preparing an economic package to help Pakistan with its debt, expenditures and trade. He said the best way to prevent a situation in which nuclear weapons fall into terrorists' hands is for President Musharraf to provide stable government and hold elections, as he said he would.

Following are excerpts from the transcript of the Bush-Putin news conference with Bush's comments about the above-mentioned issues:

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 UN's efforts to fashion a post-Taliban government that is broadly based and multi-ethnic. The new government must export neither terror nor drugs, and it must respect fundamental human rights.

And Russia and the United States -- 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.

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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.

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Question: 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 Qaeda 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 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. And -- 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 and particularly mindful of the need for us to work with our Northern Alliance friends to treat people with respect.

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Question: 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 UN. 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 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.

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Question: 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 was 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 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 an economic package that will help him with debt, help him with the expenses of the ongoing operations, helping with trade. And we will continue a dialogue 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.