Bush, Putin discuss Iran, US missile shield by phone, Kremlin says

dpa German Press Agency Published: Wednesday March 28, 2007

Moscow (dpa) - US President George W Bush and Russian President
Vladimir Putin discussed Iran's nuclear programme and US plans to
base parts of a missile shield in Eastern Europe on Wednesday, the
Kremlin said.
The two leaders, speaking by telephone, agreed a recent
UN Security Council resolution strengthening sanctions against Iran
sent a "serious political signal," the Kremlin said in a statement
Wednesday night.

But with tensions surrounding Tehran high after Iran seized 15
British soldiers last week, the Kremlin said the conversation
"underlined" that the resolution excluded the use of force against
Iran and that negotiations were preferred.

Moscow called the conversation, which it said came at the White
House's initiative, "detailed and open."

Russia has grown highly critical of what it calls Washington's
"unipolarism" in recent months, lambasting the war in Iraq in
particular.

The two countries have also taken traditionally different stances
on Iran. Russia, with is building a nuclear power plant at Bushehr,
has vetoed US and European efforts to enforce tough sanctions on
Tehran over its refusal to stop uranium enrichment.

In the last two weeks, however, Russia temporarily halted
construction at Bushehr, saying Iran had failed to make monthly
payments for the 850 million-dollar facility.

And an unidentified source told all three major Russian news
agencies Moscow would not be dragged into "anti-American games" by
Tehran.

The two leaders also addressed US plans to place in Poland and the
Czech Republic elements of a missile shield intended to protect
Europe and North America from a possible Iranian or North Korean
missile attack.

The Kremlin said Putin told his American counterpart that Moscow
was concerned about the shield. Bush, it added, expressed a desire to
discuss the issue in detail, which was "received with satisfaction,"
according to the statement.

The Kremlin noted the two leaders had agreed to maintain a
"regular dialogue on all levels."

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency

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