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Show A8 Monday, April 7, 2008 DAILY HERALD Bush, Putin still divided on missile defense plan, NATO expansion Terence Hunt THE ASSOCIATED PRESS President SOCHI, Russia Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to overcome sharp differences over a U.S. missile defense system, closing their seven-yea-r Sunday stifi far apart on an issue that has separated them from the beginning. "Our fundamental attitude toward the American plan has not changed," Putin said at a news conference with Bush at his vacation house at this Black Sea resort. "Obviously ' we've got a lot of work to do," Bush said Despite the impasse, the two leaders agreed that Moscow and Washington would work together closely in the future on missile defense and other difficult issues. Putin declared there were no breakthrough solutions but said "certain progress is g obvious" in the dispute on missile defenses. He was referring to U.S. conces- rela-tionsh- ip his soul, as he had with Putin decades will have a very coltheir first encounter. He laborative upon relationship. That pronounced Putin's protege "a seems to be a good thing, not a bad thing." straightforward fellow" and said he was eager to work Hadley, who spoke with rewith him. porters aboard Air Force One Putin was asked whether he on the way home to Washingor Medvedev, the president- ton, also said he didn't see any elect would be in charge of prospect of a breakthrough on Russia's foreigftjXJlicy after -- missile defense before Bush May 7, when Putin steps down leaves office next January. as president and is expected to "They can leave that to their be named prime minister. prospective successors," he 4 J , Putin said Medvedev would said. . meetfinal be in charge, and would repAt their 28th and resent Russia at the Group of ing as heads of state, Bush and Putin sought to emphasize Eight meeting of industrial democracies in Jury in Tokyo. their good personal relations, "Mr. Medvedev has been one praising each other exten-- 1 ; of Russia's of the sivehy. But they also both acsaid. Putin knowledged remaining strong foreign policy," "He's completely on top of disagreements, principally missile defense and JtfATO's things." eastward expansion. . National Security Adviser " Russia remains adamantly Stephen Hadley, when asked later whether he thought Putin opposed to the expansion of the alliance into its backyard, actually was going to cede an enlargement that Bush authority on Russian foreign policy to Medvedev, said: "My has actively championed over Putin's vocal objections. guess is that these two men who have worked very closely The Sochi meeting came together for now almost two just days after NATO lead . ALEXANDER Press ZEMLIANICHENKOAssociated and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk to a joint press conference in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, southern Russia, Sunday. With time running out on an often testy seven-yea- r relationship, U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin are taking on a lot of unfinished business in their final U.S. President George Bush leader-to-lead- er meetings Sunday, : sions to assuage Russia's concerns. U.S. officials said that long-runnin- was what they wanted to hear " him say. Bush also conferred with d Putin's successor, Dmitry Medvedev, but did not claim gaining any insight into hand-picke- ers agreed at a summit in Romania to invite Albania and Croatia to join the alliance. However, the alliance rebuffed U.S. attempts to begin the process of inviting Ukraine and Georgia, both former Soviet republics, to join, although their eventual admission seems likely. : - 5' Putin called the U.S. mis- - ; which envisions sile plan -tracking radursites ' in the Czech Republic and "J the interceptors in Poland dif- - hardest of is "This to reconcile. erences f not about language. This is not about diplomatic phrasing or wording. This is about he sub- stance of the issdte," he said. 4 Busli reiterated his. insis- -' i tence that the plan designed, to intercept and destroy ap-- ; .sues at proaching balli&fjc should not be high altitudes viewed as a threat to Russia. In.a clear reference to Iran, he said the system would help protect Europe from "regimes that could try to hold us hos- - ' ji v tage." U.S.-Russi- i r European abortion battle i resumes in Italy, Spain :i , V , ( Tracy Wilkinson los angeles times '' 1 . I I ing thousands of names. On the other side of the debate,' thousands of women have ROME - The woman was turned out in demonstrations still woozy from anesthesia to demand that laws allowing when Italian police interro- the termination of pregnancy ; gated her shortly after she had be protected. i had an abortion. Then they When it came to power four confiscated the fetus. years ago, Spam s socialist gov- f In Spain, police have swept ernment made liberal social re-1 into clinics, hauled away car- form a hallmark of its adminis- tons of medical records and tration and promised legislation I questioned dozens of women to expand access to abortioa But by the time it ran for I who had terminated their in March, it had I pregnancies, sometimes show- I ing up at their homes, to their dropped abortion from its ' I great mortification. platform as Spanish bishops all but directed citizens to vote i In Italy and Spain, two of I Europe's most Catholic coun- against candidates who didn't I tries, opponents of abortion oppose it. In Italian elections Sunday, j are finding new ways to chal- lenge laws ana use tne issue to aDonion nas emerged I national elections, a pectedly as a major issue. One generation after most citizens particularly vocal political the issue was resolved, ure, a conservative newspaper editor and former government Spurred on by the church, antiabortion activists have minister, is running for Parlia-stage- d demonstrations and ment on a single point: ending circulated petitions, gather- abortion. i 7 ' . . unex-influen- v ht : I I Iff 1 j5 I i !, H-r- V I- - ."- wt'w .. ; ; With . Ila iittwti ever 1 AJ'-- f , iha nat 311 nm htn Utah hj. mww tmn VIUI UIU IUWl uw I will IlliU UlUII 1111 fvpr U 3 r stores sad resterents, there i - - " ro'nRh'e UUUIUJ 1 " 1 i : Jewelers Only inCorrroNTREE Square (801) 373-10- m 00 hvr'- - is something f:r evzryr" tJ .!,. Ti 7j ch would you cdveitize? t r "I w w w. h z rs I i : xtra com , |