Americas

Bush, Putin far apart on policy

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-02 22:30

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine - US relations with Russia are on simmer, so President Bush's meeting Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin will be judged on how respectfully the two leaders agree to disagree.

Former U.S. President George Bush speaks with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, after his arrival in Portsmouth, N.H., Sunday, July 1, 2007. Others are unidentified. U.S. relations with Russia are on simmer, so President George W. Bush's meeting Monday with Russian President will be judged on how respectfully the two leaders agree to disagree.[AP]

But they achieved common ground on one thing after pancakes and omelets: To go fishing with Bush's father, former President George H.W. Bush. Under bright sunshine, the elder Bush revved up his speedboat named Fidelity III and the three, with security agents in tow, headed out into the Atlantic Ocean.

It was unclear whether Bush and Putin would limit their discussions to outsmarting fish, or whether they'd be taking on weightier topics.

They have different views on democracy and missile defense, NATO expansion into Russia's backyard and independence for Kosovo. They both want to stymie Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions, but they don't see eye-to-eye on whether Iranian missiles currently pose a threat.

It was all handshakes, kisses and smiles when Putin arrived late Sunday afternoon at the Bush family estate that overlooks the rocky Atlantic seacoast. Putin gave a kiss on the cheek to first lady Laura Bush and the president's mother, Barbara Bush, and handed them bouquets of flowers. Before disappearing from public view, Putin was seen aboard the former president's speedboat, zooming along the coastline, grinning and waving to photographers.

While both sides downplayed expectations for the meeting, the two leaders were expected to call their missile defense experts to a joint meeting so they can learn about the installations the United States is proposing and the capabilities of the Azerbaijan system.

They might also come to a closer understanding about getting a third, tougher round of U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran because of its refusal to stop enriching uranium. The US, Russia and their fellow permanent U.N. Security Council members, however, have told Iran they will hold off on new sanctions if it stops expanding its enrichment activities while they seek to restart talks about the program with Tehran. Diplomats say the Iranian government has not yet responded to the proposal.

On Kosovo, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday that he hoped Bush's meeting with Putin would resolve differences over the future of Serbia's breakaway Kosovo province, but a Putin adviser offered little hope for that.

On Sunday night, there was "family style dialogue" about coming elections in both countries as they dined on lobster and marinated swordfish. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any tense discussions.

"Definitely not," Peskov said. "We could not have predicted the warmness and hospitality from President Bush. The Russian president was very much satisfied with that."

But for all the pleasantries and talk about patching up the Bush-Putin friendship and forging fresh relations with Russia as it transitions from its communist past, the rhetoric coming out of the Kremlin of late seems mired in the Cold War.

This tiny seacoast town has welcomed the Russian delegation, but an estimated 1,700 demonstrators interrupted a peaceful Sunday afternoon. They called for the impeachment of Bush and an end to the war in Iraq.

Bush, who feels Putin has tried to muzzle free speech, would have approved of a chant led by one demonstrator.

"Tell me what democracy sounds like," she yelled to her followers.

"This is what democracy sounds like," they screamed.