*EPF503 09/26/2003
Bush to Meet with President Putin at Camp David
(White House Report, Sept. 26: Russia, Paraguay, Iraq/Bremer) (640)

President Bush "looks forward" to welcoming President Vladimir Putin of Russia to Camp David, the presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains, the afternoon of September 26, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters at his noon briefing.

Bush "believes this is an opportunity to continue to focus on ways to broaden cooperation between the United States and Russia, as we work in partnership to address shared challenges," the press secretary said.

The two leaders, "this evening and tomorrow will discuss a range of bilateral and international issues, including Iran, combating terrorism, preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction, the greater Middle East and Iraq reconstruction," McClellan said.

The schedule includes dinner together in the evening, and a meeting between the two leaders September 27, followed by a joint press availability. Then the two leaders will have lunch together, and President Putin will depart Camp David shortly after that, McClellan told reporters at his early morning meeting with them.

Bush and Putin have developed "a strong relationship" and one of the things they will discuss is "ways to continue to strengthen" that relationship, McClellan said. Bush, he added, "considers President Putin a friend."

BUSH MEETS IN OVAL OFFICE WITH PARAGUAY'S PRESIDENT

President Bush met the morning of September 26 in the White House Oval Office with President Nicanor Duarte of Paraguay.

"The two leaders discussed a range of issues relating to our bilateral relationship," White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters.

President Bush "praised President Duarte's strong leadership and his efforts to reform the democratic and economic institutions in Paraguay. They also discussed our close cooperation in the war on terrorism. Paraguay is a strong ally," McClellan said.

BUSH DISCUSSES IRAQ AT WHITE HOUSE WITH AMBASSADOR BREMER

President Bush and Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator L. Paul Bremer discussed the administration's $87 billion dollar supplemental request for Iraq and Afghanistan at a White House meeting September 26.

Bremer was in Washington during the week to brief congressional committees on the request.

"We're working closely with Congress to move forward this wartime supplement as quickly as possible," McClellan told reporters.

Asked if Ambassador Bremer talked to President Bush about resistance by some in the U.S. Congress to spending $20 billion on reconstruction in Iraq, and the question of loaning the money to Iraq rather than granting it, McClellan said that the White House recognizes "there is a congressional process. As this moves through the legislative process, we will work closely with Congress, as we have been. We've had administration officials up on the Hill all week, talking about the supplemental and the importance of passing this quickly. And we'll continue to work with Congress as we do that."

"[W]e're continuing to fight for the package as we outlined it and as we presented it to Congress. But, obviously, we recognize this is a process where we work together on it," the press secretary said.

Asked why the supplemental request includes spending $54 million for a study on how to operate an efficient postal service in Iraq, McClellan said a postal service "helps bring about a civil, orderly, functioning society." He noted that "it was one of the very first steps that we took here with our own Continental Congress back in 1775. It's important to bringing a new nation together, and supporting the growth of commerce, and ensuring the free flow of ideas and information, just like it was for America many years ago."

President Bush "looks to his commanders in the field to know what's needed for our troops and looks to Ambassador Bremer for setting up the Coalition Provisional Authority to determine what is necessary for reconstruction and stabilization as well," McClellan said.

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

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