RUSSIA - GEORGIA CONFLICT: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 STATE 088308 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR OIIP PBTS PREL RU GG SUBJECT: RUSSIA - GEORGIA CONFLICT: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH, SECRETARY GATES, AND SECRETARY RICE, AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GUIDANCE ¶1. IN REFERENCE TO RUSSIA'S ACTIONS IN GEORGIA, PRESIDENT BUSH STATED THE FOLLOWING: (QUOTE) "WITH ITS ACTIONS IN RECENT DAYS RUSSIA HAS DAMAGED ITS CREDIBILITY AND ITS RELATIONS WITH THE NATIONS OF THE FREE WORLD. BULLYING AND INTIMIDATION ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE WAYS TO CONDUCT FOREIGN POLICY IN THE 21ST CENTURY. ONLY RUSSIA CAN DECIDE WHETHER IT WILL NOW PUT ITSELF BACK ON THE PATH OF RESPONSIBLE NATIONS, OR CONTINUE TO PURSUE A POLICY THAT PROMISES ONLY CONFRONTATION AND ISOLATION. TO BEGIN TO REPAIR ITS RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE AND OTHER NATIONS, AND TO BEGIN RESTORING ITS PLACE IN THE WORLD, RUSSIA MUST RESPECT THE FREEDOM OF ITS NEIGHBORS." ¶2. "A MAJOR ISSUE IS RUSSIA'S CONTENTION THAT THE REGIONS OF SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA MAY NOT BE A PART OF GEORGIA'S FUTURE. BUT THESE REGIONS ARE PART OF GEORGIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS REPEATEDLY MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WILL REMAIN SO. GEORGIA IS A MEMBER OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA LIE WITHIN ITS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BORDERS. GEORGIA'S BORDERS SHOULD COMMAND THE SAME RESPECT AS EVERY OTHER NATION'S." "WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND BEHIND GEORGIA'S DEMOCRACY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT GEORGIA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND INDEPENDENCE AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY BE RESPECTED" (END QUOTE). ¶3. IN THEIR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OUTREACH, AND IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC INQUERIES, POSTS MAY DRAW FROM THE FOLLOWING QUOTES AND POINTS, BELOW. WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS DOING DIPLOMATIC: WHEN CONSIDERING A COUNTRY'S PARTICIPATION IN A RULES- BASED INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION, MEMBERS OF THAT ORGANIZATION NECESSARILY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THAT COUNTRY HAS DEMONSTRATED A WILLINGNESS TO PLAY BY INTERNATIONAL RULES. THAT FACTOR UNDOUBTEDLY WILL INFLUENCE THINKING ABOUT RUSSIA'S PARTICIPATION IN A VARIETY OF INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. RUSSIA'S BEHAVIOR OVER THE PAST WEEK HAS CALLED INTO QUESTION THE ENTIRE PREMISE OF THAT DIALOGUE AND HAS PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR SECURITY RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD, BOTH BILATERALLY AND WITH NATO. IF RUSSIA DOES NOT STEP BACK FROM ITS AGGRESSIVE POSTURE AND ACTIONS IN GEORGIA, THE U.S.-RUSSIAN RELATIONSHIP COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED FOR YEARS TO COME. YESTERDAY SECRETARY RICE CONDUCTED A LENGTHY MEETING WITH PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI IN GEORGIA, DURING WHICH SHE OBTAINED PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI'S SIGNATURE ON THE FRENCH-BROKERED CEASEFIRE ACCORD. PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV HAS NOW SIGNED ON TO THIS AGREEMENT AND NOW MUST HONOR THIS COMMITMENT AND CEASE MILITARY OPERATIONS. STATE 00088308 002 OF 007 SUBJECT: RUSSIA - GEORGIA CONFLICT: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH, SECRETARY GATES, AND SECRETARY RICE, AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GUIDAN NEXT TUESDAY SECRETARY RICE WILL BE IN BRUSSELS TO MEET, IN THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT BUSH, "WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF OUR NATO ALLIES AND EU OFFICIALS TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO RALLY THE FREE WORLD IN DEFENSE OF A FREE GEORGIA." SECRETARY RICE EXPECTS THAT THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL (NATO) MEETING WILL RESULT IN "A CONFIRMATION OF NATO'S TRANSATLANTIC VISION FOR GEORGIA AS WELL AS FOR UKRAINE, OF NATO'S INSISTENCE THAT IT WILL REMAIN OPEN TO EUROPEAN DEMOCRACIES THAT MEET ITS STANDARDS." HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE: THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN GEORGIA REMAINS FLUID, AND THE U.S. EMBASSY AND USAID CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA TO GET ASSISTANCE TO THOSE IN NEED, MONITOR THE SITUATION, AND IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL NEEDS. U.S. ASSISTANCE IS CONCENTRATED TOWARDS INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) IN ACCESSIBLE AREAS OF THE GREATER TBILISI REGION. THE UNITED STATES HAS PROVIDED CLOSE TO $4 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA TO DATE, AND WE STAND PREPARED TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE TO THOSE IN NEED. AS OF AUGUST 14, TWO U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND C-17 FLIGHTS HAVE TRANSPORTED U.S. RELIEF AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO TBILISI. THE FLIGHTS, WHICH CARRIED COMMODITIES INCLUDING 104,000 DOSES OF ANTIBIOTICS REQUESTED BY THE GEORGIAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH, ARE VALUED AT MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION. AS OF AUGUST 16, THE US HAS FLOWN IN 7 C130 FLIGHTS WITH 98.5 SHORT TONS OF HUMANITARIAN AID. THREE MORE C-130 FLIGHTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 17. IN ADDITION, USAID HAS PROVIDED AN INITIAL $250,000 FOR THE LOCAL PROCUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES. ON AUGUST 9, THE U.S. EMBASSY IN TBILISI RELEASED PRE- POSITIONED DISASTER PACKAGES WORTH AN ESTIMATED $1.2 MILLION THAT INCLUDED BASIC MEDICAL SUPPLIES, TENTS, BLANKETS, BEDDING, HYGIENE ITEMS, CLOTHING, AND COTS. WORKING THROUGH NON-GOVERNMENTAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY ON THE GROUND IN THE AFFECTED AREAS, U.S. ASSISTANCE IS BEING PROVIDED TO THOSE IN NEED IN GEORGIA, INCLUDING SOUTH OSSETIA. AN 11-MEMBER USAID DISASTER ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM (DART) BEGAN ARRIVING IN TBILISI ON FRIDAY (8/15). WORKING WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA, THE DART WILL CONDUCT RAPID HUMANITARIAN NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND COORDINATE US RELIEF EFFORTS WITH THE LOCAL OFFICIALS, OTHER DONORS AND INTERNATIONAL AND NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. ECONOMIC/FINANCIAL: YESTERDAY, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF TREASURY ROBERT KIMMITT SPOKE WITH PRIME MINISTER GURGENIDZE TO EXPRESS THE UNITED STATES' CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR THE DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA AND TO REITERATE OUR WILLINGNESS TO JOIN OTHER COUNTRIES TO STATE 00088308 003 OF 007 SUBJECT: RUSSIA - GEORGIA CONFLICT: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH, SECRETARY GATES, AND SECRETARY RICE, AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GUIDAN SUPPORT DEEPER ENGAGEMENT BY THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO ASSIST GEORGIA'S ECONOMY. DURING THE CONVERSATION KIMMITT NOTED THAT THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO BELIEVE GEORGIA'S SOUND MACROECONOMIC AND FISCAL POLICIES - AS WELL AS ITS EXCELLENT PROGRESS TRANSITIONING TO A MARKET ECONOMY - MAKE IT WELL-PLACED TO WEATHER THE CURRENT CRISIS." OUR FINANCIAL OFFICIALS ARE WORKING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND GEORGIAN OFFICIALS TO EXPLORE ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO REINFORCE GEORGIA'S ECONOMIC REFORMS AND PROMOTE FINANCIAL STABILITY. WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING WITH OUR G-7 COUNTERPARTS AS WE LOOK THROUGH THE OPTIONS OF SUCH A PROGRAM. WE ARE MONITORING CLOSELY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN GEORGIA AND EVALUATING AREAS IN WHICH FUTURE ENGAGEMENT MAY BE NEEDED. MILITARY: SECRETARY GATES STATED THE FOLLOWING: (QUOTE) "WE HAVE CANCELLED OUR PARTICIPATION IN A MULTINATIONAL NAVAL EXERCISE WITH RUSSIA (DUE TO RUN AUGUST 15-23). WE HAVE ALSO CANCELLED A U.S.-CANADIAN-RUSSIAN EXERCISE, VIGILANT EAGLE, THAT WAS TO HAVE BEGUN ON AUGUST 20TH. IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AHEAD, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WILL REEXAMINE THE ENTIRE GAMUT OF OUR MILITARY- TO-MILITARY ACTIVITIES WITH RUSSIA AND WILL MAKE CHANGES AS NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE, DEPENDING ON RUSSIAN ACTIONS IN THE DAYS AHEAD. THE MISSION THE PRESIDENT HAS GIVEN US AT THIS POINT IS HUMANITARIAN RELIEF TO ASSIST THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA. AND THAT IS OUR FOCUS AT THIS POINT. THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT THEN WILL TURN TO QUESTIONS OF BOTH ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION AND ALSO WHAT TO DO TO HELP THE GEORGIAN SECURITY FORCES, AND TO THE LONGER TERM FUTURE. RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY PEOPLE WE WILL HAVE ON THE GROUND ARE THOSE THAT ARE REQUIRED TO DELIVER THE HUMANITARIAN MISSION AND A HANDFUL OF TRAINERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN GEORGIA FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME." (END QUOTE) GENERAL CARTRIGHT STATED THE FOLLOWING: (QUOTE) "FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE ASSESSMENTS AND WHAT WE MIGHT DO, THE INTENT OF THE TEAM THAT EUROPEAN COMMAND PUT IN IS TO LOOK AT THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE CONTEXT OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE -- SO WHAT ROADS ARE OPEN; WHERE IS HELP NEEDED; WHAT KIND OF HELP IS NEEDED IN THOSE AREAS; IS IT MEDICAL; IS IT COMMUNICATIONS -- REBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE, THINGS LIKE THAT -- SO THAT WE CAN DO THE RIGHT THINGS." (END QUOTE) THE U.S. HAS SEEN ALARMING REPORTS BY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH OF RUSSIAN USE OF CLUSTER MUNITIONS. SUCH REPORTS UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE VIOLENCE AND FOR INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS AND HUMANITARIAN WORKERS TO DEPLOY INTO CONFLICT AREAS WITHOUT DELAY. THE UNITED STATES IS PREPARING TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR THE POST-CONFLICT CLEARANCE OF EXPLOSIVE REMNANTS OF WAR. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THESE ACTIVITIES STATE 00088308 004 OF 007 SUBJECT: RUSSIA - GEORGIA CONFLICT: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH, SECRETARY GATES, AND SECRETARY RICE, AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GUIDAN BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO PREVENT CIVILIANS CASUALTIES FROM ANY UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE. GENERAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Q: PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE SITUATION IN GEORGIA. HAS FIGHTING STOPPED? IS A CEASEFIRE BEING OBSERVED? THE SITUATION IN GEORGIA REMAINS SERIOUS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR A CEASEFIRE TO BE UPHELD AND FOR HOSTILITIES TO CEASE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES BE ALLOWED TO REESTABLISH RULE OF LAW. THE UNITED STATES IS RESPONDING TO HUMANITARIAN NEEDS ON THE GROUND. Q: SOUTH OSSETIAN LEADER KOKOITY HAS CONFIRMED THAT IRREGULAR FORCES HAVE DRIVEN OUT ETHNIC GEORGIANS FROM SOUTH OSSETIA. CAN YOU CONFIRM OR COMMENT ON THESE AND OTHER REPORTS OF ABUSE IN THE CONFLICT ZONES? WE HAVE SEEN THESE REPORTS. ETHNIC CLEANSING, RACIALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE AND OTHER ABUSES OF CIVILIANS ARE CLEAR VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND CAN NEVER BE JUSTIFIED. THESE ALARMING REPORTS UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE VIOLENCE AND FOR INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS TO DEPLOY INTO CONFLICT AREAS WITHOUT DELAY. RUSSIA BEARS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF ALL CIVILIANS IN AREAS UNDER THE CONTROL OF ITS FORCES. WE CALL ON RUSSIA TO IMMEDIATELY STOP BLOCKING OSCE MONITORS AND FACILITATE THE INCREASE OF MONITORS TO 100. BACKGROUND: SOUTH OSSETIA DE FACTO PRESIDENT EDUARD KOKOYTY HAS ADMITTED TO THE PRESS THAT THERE IS LOOTING TAKING PLACE IN THE BREAKAWAY REGION AND THAT SOUTH OSSETIAN IRREGULARS ARE DRIVING ETHNIC GEORGIANS FROM THEIR VILLAGES AND WILL NOT ALLOW THEM BACK. KOKOYTY AND RUSSIA CLAIM TO BE TAKING ACTION TO PREVENT LOOTING, REPORTING THAT TWO LOOTERS HAD BEEN SHOT YESTERDAY. HOWEVER, KOKOYTY HAS BEEN CLEAR IN HIS STATEMENTS THAT ETHNIC GEORGIANS ARE NOT WELCOME BACK TO SOUTH OSSETIA. RUSSIAN EMERCOM HAS FACILITATED THE DEPARTURES OF AROUND 50 GEORGIANS TODAY WHO REPORTEDLY WANTED TO GO TO GEORGIA VOLUNTARILY. Q:HAS THE US REQUESTED PERMISSION FROM TURKEY FOR ACCESS TO THE BLACK SEA? WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE OF THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT? WE ARE ASSESSING GEORGIA'S HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AND ARE NOW LOOKING AT POSSIBLE SEA ROUTES IN CONSULTATION WITH GEORGIAN PARTNERS. AS THE PRESIDENT STATED, WE ARE COUNTING ON FREE AND OPEN ACCESS TO GEORGIAN PORTS FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. Q: PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON DISCUSSIONS AT THE UN. CONSULTATIONS WITH SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS REGARDING STATE 00088308 005 OF 007 SUBJECT: RUSSIA - GEORGIA CONFLICT: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH, SECRETARY GATES, AND SECRETARY RICE, AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GUIDAN THE DRAFT RESOLUTION ARE ONGOING. WE WILL WORK TO ENSURE THAT ANY RESOLUTION CLEARLY REFLECTS A COMMITMENT TO GEORGIA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY. Q: WHAT IS OUR REACTION TO LAVROV'S COMMENTS THAT THE QUESTION OF GEORGIA'S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS A DEAD ISSUE? HAVE WE SOUGHT CLARIFICATION OF HIS REMARKS? AS SECRETARY RICE INDICATED YESTERDAY, SUCH LANGUAGE FROM THE RUSSIANS IS UNHELPFUL. AS THE PRESIDENT HAS STATED, THE UNITED STATES STANDS WITH THE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA. WE INSIST THAT THE SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF GEORGIA BE RESPECTED. Q: PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON DISCUSSIONS AT NATO. ON AUGUST 12, NATO MET IN A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL (NAC) TO DISCUSS GEORGIA. FOLLOWING THIS MEETING NATO HELD AN ALLIES + GEORGIA MEETING WITH THE GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR. SECRETARY RICE WILL PARTICIPATE IN A CONVENING OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL AT NATO HQ IN BRUSSELS ON TUESDAY. Q: WAS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN INJURED IN THE FIGHTING IN GEORGIA? DO WE HAVE A PAW? WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT THE AMCIT? WE ARE AWARE OF THE MEDIA REPORTS BUT DUE TO PRIVACY ACT RESTRICTIONS CANNOT PROVIDE COMMENTS. Q: UPDATE STATISTICS ON AMERICAN CITIZENS EVACUATED FROM GEORGIA? HOW MANY HAVE LEFT? HOW MANY CONVOYS? ARE ANY MORE CONVOYS PLANNED? ON AUGUST 13, TWO CONVOYS DEPARTED TBILISI FOR YEREVAN. EMBASSY TBILISI REPORTS 32 AMERICAN CITIZENS WERE CONFIRMED ON THOSE CONVOYS. ON AUGUST 10 AND 11, TWO CONVOYS OFFICIALLY ORGANIZED BY EMBASSY TBILISI DEPARTED TBILISI TO ARMENIA. CONSULAR OFFICERS FROM ARMENIA WERE AT THE BORDER TO MEET THE CONVOY UPON ENTRY. ¶Q. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE OIL PIPELINES IN GEORGIA? THE BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN (BTC) OIL PIPELINE IS CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO A FIRE IN TURKEY THAT BEGAN BEFORE THE CONFLICT IN GEORGIA. I REFER YOU TO BP AND THE TURKISH COMPANY BOTAS FOR THE STATUS OF REPAIRS ON THAT PIPELINE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE BAKU-NOVOROSSIYSK PIPELINE AND RAIL ROUTES FROM BAKU TO THE GEORGIAN PORTS OF BATUMI AND KULEVI ARE FUNCTIONING AND TRANSPORTING SOME OF THE OIL THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CARRIED BY BTC. THE BP-LED CONSORTIA THAT OPERATES THE BAKU-SUPSA OIL PIPELINE AND THE SOUTH CAUCASUS GAS PIPELINE FROM BAKU TO TURKEY HAD TEMPORARILY CLOSED THEM AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE EARLIER IN THE WEEK. ON THURSDAY BP ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAS RESTARTED OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS PIPELINE. STATE 00088308 006 OF 007 SUBJECT: RUSSIA - GEORGIA CONFLICT: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH, SECRETARY GATES, AND SECRETARY RICE, AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GUIDAN WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT ANY PIPELINES IN GEORGIA HAVE BEEN DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE CONFLICT. (IF ASKED) WE ARE LOOKING INTO REPORTS THAT PIPELINES IN GEORGIA MAY HAVE BEEN TARGETED. Q: WHAT IS THE STATUS OF MCC PROGRAMS IN GEORGIA? THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION (MCC) HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTING A FIVE-YEAR, $295.3 MILLION POVERTY-REDUCTION PROGRAM IN GEORGIA SINCE APRIL 7, ¶2006. MCC IS IN UNINTERRUPTED CONTACT WITH ITS REPRESENTATIVES IN GEORGIA, ALL OF WHOM ARE COORDINATING WITH THE EMBASSY COUNTRY TEAM TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. ALL U.S. PERSONNEL, AND THOSE GEORGIAN EMPLOYEES WORKING ON MCC PROGRAMS, ARE SAFE AND ACCOUNTED FOR AND REMAIN IN GEORGIA. AS OF AUGUST 12TH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MCC PROGRAM IN GEORGIA, COMPRISED OF ROAD REHABILITATION, AGRIBUSINESS, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ENERGY PROJECTS, REMAINS UNDERWAY, WITH ROUGHLY $193 MILLION IN CONTRACT COMMITMENTS AND $51.3 MILLION DISBURSED. MCC WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION IN CONCERT WITH OTHER U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. MCC DOES NOT MANAGE PROGRAMS IN THE SOUTH OSSETIA REGION. Q: THE UNITED STATES AND POLAND JUST COMPLETED NEGOTIATIONS AND INITIALED THE BASING AGREEMENT FOR THE INTERCEPTOR SITE IN POLAND AND A SEPARATE DECLARATION ON STRATEGIC COOPERATION. IS THIS A RESPONSE TO RUSSIAN EFFORTS IN GEORGIA? NO. THE U.S.-POLAND BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM IS THE RESULT OF LONG TERM NEGOTIATIONS THAT THE U.S. AND POLAND BEGAN IN MAY 2007. AS WE HAVE STATED BEFORE, THE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM IS PURELY DEFENSIVE AND IS FOR DEFENSE AGAINST BALLISTIC MISSILE THREATS ORIGINATING FROM THE MIDDLE EAST. OUR PROPOSED DEPLOYMENT OF A MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM IN EUROPE POSES NO THREAT TO RUSSIA OR TO RUSSIA'S NUCLEAR DETERRENT. WE HAVE BEEN FULLY TRANSPARENT WITH THE RUSSIANS ON THIS ISSUE SINCE THE START OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH BOTH POLAND AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC. IN OUR APRIL 6 STRATEGIC DECLARATION WITH RUSSIA, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IF AGREED AND IMPLEMENTED, THE TRANSPARENCY AND CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES WOULD ASSUAGE THEIR CONCERNS. THE UNITED STATES HAS OFFERED RUSSIA UNPRECEDENTED COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF MISSILE DEFENSE. SECRETARY RICE QUOTE: "WE HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE RUSSIANS IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS. BOB GATES AND I WERE THERE TWICE TRYING TO SHOW THE RUSSIANS THAT THIS MISSILE SYSTEM, THE DEFENSE - THE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM IS AIMED AT SMALL MISSILE THREATS OF THE KIND THAT ONE COULD ANTICIPATE FROM IRAN, FOR INSTANCE. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT ALL KINDS OF MEASURES THAT COULD BE USED TO DEMONSTRATE TO RUSSIA THAT THIS SYSTEM WAS NOT, IN ANY STATE 00088308 007 OF 007 END TEXT RICE