Bush and Putin hail talks a success

Bush greets Putin on Saturday

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin have described their first face-to-face meeting as a success.

The pair held two meetings at Brdo Castle in Slovenia on Saturday. At a news conference afterwards, Bush said the talks had been "straightforward and productive."

He said the pair had agreed to hold further meetings in the U.S. and Russia.

"Russia and America have the opportunity to work together. We should seize it, and today we have done ... It's time to write new history in a positive and constructive way."

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Putin said the discussions had been frank and interesting. "I think we have found a good basis to start building," he said.

The two debated Bush's plans for a missile defence system and his desire to amend the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty that codified the Cold War.

At the news conference, Putin said: "Differences in approaches do exist, and in one short moment it is impossible to overcome all of them, but i'm convinced ahead of us we have a constructive dialogue."

He said officials from both countries would hold further meetings to discuss security issues.

AUDIO President Bush comments on his meeting with Putin on Saturday 1.17 MB / 1 minute AIFF or WAV sound   AUDIO Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses questions regarding missile defence (English translation) 1.76 MB / 75 seconds AIFF or WAV sound   VIDEO CNN's Jill Dougherty reports on what Bush and Putin will likely discuss at the meeting (June 15) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   ALSO From TIME.com: Russia doubts U.S. line on NATO

"We must proceed from the idea that the 1972 ABM treaty is the cornerstone of the modern architecture of international security," he added.

Talking to reporters earlier in the day, Putin said Bush made a "good first impression" a day earlier with a speech in Warsaw, Poland, in which Bush said Russia was not an enemy.

"That's a very good foundation on which to proceed," Putin said. That speech, he added, "prompts optimism."

"I've been looking forward to this for a long period of time," Bush said. "I think we'll find we have a lot in common."

Brdo Castle, constructed in 1510 and renovated in 1935, was a summer residence of former Yugoslav leader Marshal Tito.

Bush has already faced tough questions on the issue of missile defence during his five-day, five-nation European tour.

"I will make the case, as I have to all European leaders I have met on this trip, that the basis for our mutual security must move beyond Cold War doctrines," Bush said on the eve of his meeting with Putin.

"It's important for Russia to hear that our nation is concerned about the spreading of weapons of mass destruction and I'll bring it up in the context of explaining why it is important for us to think differently on missile defences."

U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said the meeting was a great opportunity for the two men to share their views, but sought to play down expectations of a breakthrough.

"This is an opportunity for the two presidents to get to know each other, to establish a personal relationship, for the president [Bush] to sketch out his broad vision of how he'd like to see U.S.-Russian relations go, but not to make specific proposals to the Russians," Rice said.

She said Bush would reiterate themes of cooperation, that it's time to move past the Cold War and that Russia is welcome "to take a rightful place in Europe."

The meeting will cap Bush's European tour -- what Rice described as "not the average, normal American president's tour to Europe."

Bush will seek to press Russia on its sale of missiles and other military technology to Iran, his aides told CNN. Rice said Bush was concerned about the Iran-Russian relationship and that it could lead to an "increased danger of a proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to Iran."

Putin was expected to grill Bush on the continued expansion of NATO, the alliance that was formed among Western nations to keep Soviets in check and has in recent years crept to the East. Putin has expressed his opposition of NATO expansion.

To that end, Bush said on Friday, "Our country doesn't want to diminish the nation. We want to elevate the nation ... It is time to put talk of East and West behind us."