WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- President George W. Bush lobbied his Russian counterpart Friday to support a strong U.N. resolution compelling Iraq to disarm its weapons of mass destruction and adhere to other U.N. mandates, the White House said.
The conversation with President Vladimir Putin, initiated by Bush, lasted about 30 minutes and was followed by a meeting in the White House between Bush and Russia's foreign and defense ministers.
"In the course of the meeting, the president cited what took place on September 11th," spokesman Ari Fleischer said. "And the president reminded ... the foreign and defense minister that the oceans that used to divide the United States from the world no longer protect our country the way they used to."
Fleischer said Bush made similar comments in his conversation with Putin.
"They discussed the situation in Iraq. The president talked about the need to make certain that the United Nations-passed resolutions that are firm, that accomplish the goals of disarmament and don't let Iraq avoid responsibility," he said.
Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, has the the power to veto any resolution on Iraq. So do France and China, which -- along with Russia -- argue that the U.S.-sought resolution is unnecessary, especially in light of Iraq's move Monday to allow the return of international arms inspectors "without condition."
Bush, who argues that the offer is merely a ruse to buy time, was "encouraged" by his conversation with Putin and meeting with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, Fleischer said, without elaborating.
He said the meeting and conversation were part of a diplomatic process that the White House expects will help Washington obtain the U.N. action it seeks.
Friday's meeting had been scheduled earlier to discuss setting in motion last June's nuclear arms reduction pact that mandates a two-thirds reduction in nuclear warheads -- to about 1,700 and 2,000 apiece.
Earlier this month, Bush announced he would consult with U.S. allies and muster support domestically for strong action against Iraq. The announcement followed weeks of criticism by allies opposed to a new military confrontation in the Gulf.
