Friday, November 16, 2001

Bush, Putin pledge to strengthen relationship
No agreement reached over U.S. missile shield plans
By Kristina Iodice
Copy Desk Chief

When President George W. Bush was in high school, Russia was an enemy. Now, students can know Russia is a friend to the United States and both countries are working to break the old ties and establish a new spirit of cooperation, Bush said Thursday at a high school in Crawford.

“What we’re talking about is a new relationship, a relationship that will make your lives better when you get older, and it will make your kids’ lives better as they grow up,” Bush said. “A lot of people never dreamt that an American president and a Russian president could have established the friendship we have.”

David Dunai/SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin address the media Thursday at Crawford High School. The two leaders could not come to terms over a missle defense plan.

Surrounded by an audience waving the red, white and blue flags for two countries, Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about the relationship between Russia and the United States and then gave students at Crawford High School an opportunity to ask questions.

Although Bush and Putin failed to reach an agreement regarding a national missile defense system, Bush said the relationship between the countries is strong enough to endure differences in opinion.

“Our objective is common — both for the United States and for Russia — the objective is to achieve security for our states, for our nations, for the entire world,” Putin said.

One student asked Bush to explain in what ways had the summit brought Russia and the United States closer together.

“The summit enabled us to continue a very personal dialogue,” Bush said. As well, we agreed to some significant changes in our relationship.”

Bush said he and Putin agreed on some concrete issues, as well as specific things that the two countries can do together. Reducing the U.S. nuclear arsenal to between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads over the next decade was a tangible accomplishment, he said.

“We’ve got a lot to do together. We’ve had great discussions in Washington, as well as here in Texas. We’re both pledging to reduce the amount of nuclear weapons, offensive weapons, we have, in order to make the world more secure,” Bush said.

Bush stressed the progress made during the summit, his fourth meeting with Putin.

He said he and Putin want to make sure the U.S.-Russian relationship will endure beyond each presidency.

The Russian president easily charmed the audience, saying that people in Russia tend to know more about Texas than any other state — “except maybe for Alaska, which we sold to you.”

David Dunai/SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Local Crawford businesses get in the act to welcome President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin said he has not expected as warm and friendly reception as he had received, and complimented the hundreds of people who has gathered in the high school gym.

“Indeed, the backbone of any country is not only the people who live in the capital, but also and mostly the people who live hundreds and thousands of miles from the capital,” Putin said.

Putin said important work is accomplished by people in capital cities and regardless of circumstances or situations their priority is to fulfill the will of the people.

“I can feel the will of the people, the will to cooperate with the Russian Federation, the will to cooperate with Russian. And I assure you that the Russian people fully shares this commitment and is also committed to fully cooperating with the American people. Together, we can achieve quite a lot, especially if we are helped in this by such a young and active and beautiful generation as the one we’re meeting with now.”

The meeting demonstrated the deepening relationship between Bush and Putin and their countries. The two presidents shared jokes and acted like personal friends and not just political allies.

Bush called Russia a “strong partner” and introduced Putin as “a man who’s going to make a huge difference in making the world more peaceful.”

Putin said Bush is “a man who does what he says.”

After arriving via helicopter to the Bush’s ranch Wednesday, Putin and his wife, Lyudmila were treated to a Texas barbecue complete with pecan pie and country-western music. On Thursday, Putin said he had a hard time imagining how a person could create what he called a “masterpiece of cooking.”

Bush said he wanted Putin to come to Crawford and his 1,600-acre Prairie Chapel Ranch to show him the state he and his wife Laura Bush love. He said he wanted to show the Putins how he lives.

“I brought him to my ranch because ... you usually only invite your friends into your house,” he said.

Bush also announced that he did accept Putin’s invitation to visit Russia, but no date has been set. He said he hopes to also visit Putin’s “hometown” of St. Petersburg in addition to Moscow, Russia’s capital.

Kristina Iodice
k.k.iodice@student.tcu.edu