Bush Says to Meet Pledge to Cut Nuclear Arms

President George W. Bush said on Friday he will honor a campaign pledge to unilaterally reduce the US nuclear weapons arsenal, suggesting it could affect the course of arms control relations with Russia.

"I think it's important for us, commensurate with our ability to keep the peace, to reduce our nuclear arsenal on our own, and I'm going to fulfill that campaign promise," Bush told reporters at a White House meeting with governors. "We'll see how that affects possible arms talks."

Bush said during his campaign that the United States could cut its nuclear arsenal beyond limits in existing treaties without hurting national security.

Russia is regarded as wary of unilateral US nuclear weapons cuts, out of concern they could reduce pressure for negotiated, binding treaties and give the United States@freedom to develop a national missile defense system.

The United States and Russia are already committed under the START II treaty to slash their nuclear arsenals from more than 6,000 deployed weapons to 3,000-3,500 weapons by 2007.

Putin has suggested that Russia, which is finding it difficult to maintain its nuclear arsenal because of economic problems, was willing to cut its arsenal further.

Bush also reiterated Friday, in his response to a reporter's question on his approach to Russia and arms control, that he has vowed to deploy a missile defense system, which Russia and China strongly oppose.

"I want America to lead the world toward a more safe world when it comes to nuclear weaponry. On the offensive side we can do so, and we can do so on the defensive side as well," he said.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told a Pentagon press conference the administration was committed to a national missile defense, to protect against potential threats from states such as North Korea, Iran and Iraq.

The Russians must realize a missile defense was not a threat aimed at Russia, he said. "I think it's something that's manageable. I don't know quite how it will be managed."

Bush's comments were his most substantive remarks on foreign policy since his inauguration last Saturday. Russia has expressed eagerness to begin a dialogue with the United States on arms control and other issues, but Bush wants to review US-Russia relations first.

"Our relationship with Russia is very complex. We are going to be doing a comprehensive review, we want to address all issues," said White House National Security Council spokeswoman Mary Ellen Countryman.

Putin wrote a letter to Bush this week expressing a willingness to "deepen interaction" between Russia and the United States. Putin said in a major foreign policy speech on Friday that he had seen signals from Bush that relations between the two countries could be positive.

A top aide to National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said last week he saw "a real opportunity" to reach some kind of accord with Moscow on the missile defense issue.

Bush said he had not yet responded to Putin's letter.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, asked when the United States could begin a dialogue with Putin, said, "In due time."

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a news briefing that Powell had received a letter from Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov Wednesday, saying he looked forward to meeting Powell soon. Powell agreed they should "get together," Boucher added, but suggested no date for talks.

Powell and Ivanov would have a "positive and productive relationship, but one that deals with all the issues of cooperation, as well as the areas where we disagree," Boucher predicted. He noted it would bear in mind US concerns about the conflict in Chechnya.

On Friday Bush held swearing-in ceremonies at the White House for Powell and Rumsfeld, who were officially sworn in last Saturday.

Bush praised Rumsfeld as an expert on missile defense. "We will work to defend our people and our allies against growing threats: the threats of missiles, information warfare, the threats of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons," he said.

FOCUSING ON DOMESTIC ISSUES

Bush has spent most of his first week focusing on domestic issues, particularly his multibillion-dollar plan to reform public education. Bush's meeting with governors on Friday was to promote his education plans.

Bush also hosted a traditional presidential lunch with new members of the House of Representatives. He has met with 90 lawmakers, including 29 Democrats, this week to promote his legislative agenda and underscore a pledge of bipartisanship.

Next week Bush is to lay out proposals on prescription drug insurance coverage for retired people and on federal support for social programs run by religious organizations.

"Foreign policy is always important, but these are the issues on which he ran; that's why he's focusing on them first," Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

The new president has had 12 introductory telephone calls with foreign leaders.

In addition, the White House announced on Friday Bush will host British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Feb. 23-24, the third meeting with a foreign leader Bush has agreed to since his inauguration.

Bush is to meet Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien in Washington on Feb. 5, and is to travel to Mexico to meet Mexican President Vicente Fox on Feb. 16.






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