Bush Says US Will Quit ABM Treaty on Its TimetableUS President George W. Bush said on Thursday that the United States would withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty on its own timetable."We will withdraw from the ABM Treaty on our timetable, at a time convenient to America. But I have no specific timetable in mind." Bush told reporters in Texas. "I have made it clear that I think the treaty is a treaty that hampers our ability to keep the peace, to develop defensive weapons necessary to defend America against the true threats of the 21st century," Bush said. "I have said that we will consult closely with our allies in Europe, as well as continue to consult closely with Mr. Putin. I do know that the ABM Treaty hampers us from doing what we need to do. "I do know that Mr. Putin is aware of our desires to move beyond the ABM Treaty, and we will," he added. |
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