Bush affirms stand on ABM pact

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, AUG. 24. A day after the State Department and the White House vehemently denied that the United States had given any deadline to Russia on the 1972 Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty, the President, Mr. George W. Bush, had some plain words on the subject.

``I have no specific time-table in mind. We will withdraw from the ABM Treaty on our timetable, at a time convenient to America,'' Mr. Bush remarked in Crawford, Texas, during a visit to a local school.

The Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Mr. John Bolton, raised a few eyebrows here and elsewhere when during a recent radio interview in Moscow he suggested that Washington and Moscow would have to come to terms with changes on the ABM Treaty failing which the United States may pull out of the pact.

The timeline Mr. Bolton appeared to have in mind was November when the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, travels to Crawford for a summit with the U.S. President. The White House and the State Department strenuously rejected the notion that Mr. Bolton had set an ``artificial deadline''.

Now Mr. Bush's emphatic assertion that the U.S. will walk away from the ABM Treaty leaves only the timing for speculation. One argument has been that the President's statements along with that of his senior Cabinet members and officials is intended to nudge the Russians along into accepting changes to the 1972 Pact that reflects the post Cold War environment.

Another perception is that the U.S. is simply readying the Russians for the eventual pullout for, the Pentagon is expected to test the initial system by Spring next year. Which means that Washington will be giving the required six month notice of withdrawal some time in November, during or around Mr. Putin's visit.

In fact a major push to the Missile Defence plans of Mr. Bush is scheduled later on Friday when the President will be nominating his next Joint Chiefs of Staff, a post that has to win Senate confirmation. All eyes and bets are on Air Force General Richard Myers, to replace Gen. Henry Shelton who steps down by the end of next month.

There are at least two things working to the advantage of Gen. Myers: he is a strong supporter of missile defence and had headed the Space Command; he is a former Commander of the Pacific Air Forces and was the Commander of American forces in Japan which makes him an East Asia hand. Both suit Mr. Bush very well given the President's emphasis on missile defence and his view of the Asia Pacific, notably that of Japan and China.

The Bush administration is being cautioned from the outside for trying to push the Russians too far on the Missile Defence to the point of totally alienating Mr. Putin who may now be inclined to see the larger perspective. Moving rapidly on the Missile Defence will also bring about more opposition from a country like China which has been totally opposed to the idea.

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Section  : International
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