Bush hails missile defense program
U.S. President George W. Bush defended on Friday U.S. plan to deploy a missile defense shield in East Europe while trying to soothe Russia's concern over the disputed missile defense program.
"It's aimed at rogue regimes that would use a missile to achieve political objective or to create unrest," Bush said of the U.S. plan in an interview with foreign press.
Russia has strongly opposed to U.S. plans to expand its missile defense shield into central Europe, and said the missile system poses a threat to its security.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the planned deployment of United States anti-ballistic missile components in Europe "is turning the continent into a tinderbox."
"My friend, Vladimir Putin, is making this to be a case where somehow this is going to jeopardize relations in Europe and it's going to make the world a more dangerous place -- quite the opposite," Bush said in the interview.
"He (Putin) is concerned about the missile defense system. He thinks it's aimed at him. It's not. It's aimed at rogue regimes that would use a missile to achieve political objective or to create unrest," Bush insisted.
Despite of sharp differences between the U.S and Russia, Bush remained stressing cooperation between the two countries. "My relationship with Russia is firm."
"Russia is not hostile. Russia is a friend," Bush said, noting "there's a lot of work we can do together."
Bush said he will continue talking to Putin about cooperation at the G8 summit and also when the Russian leader visits the United States in July.
Bush hails missile defense program(Over)
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