2008 Woodie Awards
Rice, Gates fail to overcome Russian opposition to U.S. missile defense plans in Poland
By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: World
MOSCOW - Russia had a short answer yesterday for President Bush's top national security advisers who came to ask for detente in the simmering argument over a planned U.S. missile shield at Russia's doorstep. "Nyet." Or maybe, "Not yet."
The United States and Russia got no closer to settling their public differences over U.S. plans that Russia sees as a potential threat and a turf battle over influence in nations once under the Soviet thumb.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he will take a closer look at U.S. proposals meant to allay Russian fears, but added that the best way to end the disagreement would be to scrap the plan for placing missile interceptors in Poland and a tracking radar in the Czech Republic.
"We've leaned very far forward in this, in an effort to provide reassurance," but the United States plans to go ahead, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said following two days of talks with President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials.
The Russians promised to look over written U.S. offers for cooperation, a sign perhaps that they are resigned to eventually accepting the U.S. plan.
"Since the U.S. is going to carry this out, those proposals that we are expecting to receive on paper today seemed to us, as I said, important and useful for the minimization of our concerns," Lavrov said.
During a brief greeting witnessed by reporters Monday, Putin did not mention U.S. plans for the missile shield, a marked contrast from his vehement opposition when he met in October with Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who returned to explore whether U.S. concessions have softened Putin's stance.
"I would say they listened very carefully," Gates told reporters yesterday. "President Putin took extensive notes last night and there was a lot done during the day today. That said, the full range of what we are now prepared to offer to discuss with the Russians is really just now after the day's talks being put down on paper."
The United States and Russia got no closer to settling their public differences over U.S. plans that Russia sees as a potential threat and a turf battle over influence in nations once under the Soviet thumb.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he will take a closer look at U.S. proposals meant to allay Russian fears, but added that the best way to end the disagreement would be to scrap the plan for placing missile interceptors in Poland and a tracking radar in the Czech Republic.
"We've leaned very far forward in this, in an effort to provide reassurance," but the United States plans to go ahead, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said following two days of talks with President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials.
The Russians promised to look over written U.S. offers for cooperation, a sign perhaps that they are resigned to eventually accepting the U.S. plan.
"Since the U.S. is going to carry this out, those proposals that we are expecting to receive on paper today seemed to us, as I said, important and useful for the minimization of our concerns," Lavrov said.
During a brief greeting witnessed by reporters Monday, Putin did not mention U.S. plans for the missile shield, a marked contrast from his vehement opposition when he met in October with Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who returned to explore whether U.S. concessions have softened Putin's stance.
"I would say they listened very carefully," Gates told reporters yesterday. "President Putin took extensive notes last night and there was a lot done during the day today. That said, the full range of what we are now prepared to offer to discuss with the Russians is really just now after the day's talks being put down on paper."
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