Gore rallies support for U.S. defense plan ahead of summit

May 27, 2000
Web posted at: 10:00 p.m. EDT (0200 GMT)

WEST POINT, New York -- Rallying support for an expanded missile defense system ahead of a U.S.-Russia summit, Vice President Al Gore said on Saturday the United States must continue to support innovation by the armed forces.

In a commencement address at the United States Military Academy, Gore said the system would protect the United States from attacks by rogue countries without undermining the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty -- the cornerstone of arms control for 27 years.

"Strategic stability can never be a one-way street. It either exists for both the United States and Russia, or neither," Gore said.

"Reductions alone do not guarantee stability, it is how reductions are made, and how they interact with defensive systems that makes the difference." he said.

Gore tried to calm Russian fears and build backing for the proposal that is likely to dominate talks in Moscow when President Clinton and newly elected Russian President Vladimir Putin meet next week.

The Russians say the changes are too broad while Republicans argue they do not go far enough.

The proposed system would require modification of the ABM treaty. So far, Russia has refused to go along with the changes, saying it would shift the balance of power to favor the United States.

Speaking to reporters after the commencement ceremony, Gore said he was confident the Russians would eventually be persuaded to support the proposal.

"It is obvious they are thinking about this," he said. "And it is obvious they understand that they may very well not have any kind of veto power because we are not ruling out some steps on our own if that is what is needed for national interests."

Gore did not directly mention his presidential bid. But he did outline what he sees as the best way to deal with future threats, especially those involving nuclear weapons.

He said he advocated a limited national missile-defense system that would not threaten the ABM.

He avoided mentioning Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush but most of his remarks alluded to positions taken by Bush.

Bush has repeatedly denounced the Clinton-Gore administration's proposal as inadequate. The Republican candidate proposes building a huge missile defense shield that would protect the United States as well as its allies, as envisaged in the so-called Star Wars proposal.

Last week, Bush proposed building such a system and simultaneously reducing the number of U.S. missiles, an approach denounced by Gore as impractical, uneconomical and technologically impossible.

Gore warned that such a plan might lead other countries to respond offensively by building more warheads.

Reuters contributed to this report.