Bush, Putin hail cooperation on intelligence after missile arrest

MOSCOW (AFP) Aug 16, 2003
The Russian and US presidents, Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush, on Saturday hailed the closer links between the two countries' intelligence services that resulted in the arrest last week of a man who tried to sell a missile in the United States.

In a telephone conversation, the two leaders said they were pleased that close international cooperation in the fight against terrorism was yielding tangible results, the Russian president's office said.

The Russian communique said that Putin and Bush welcomed "the operation the Russian and US intelligence agencies had coordinated between themselves with the participation of British services" and which led to the arrest of the suspect last week.

On Aug 12, the United States arrested a Briton who allegedly tried to sell a Russian-made ground-to-air missile to a US agent posing as an Islamic extremist.

Putin and Bush also discussed their next bilateral meeting, which the US president will host in late September in Camp David.

WAR.WIRE