В.Путин.Интервью ведущему CNN,Ларри Кингу. 08.09.00 Part 4

Interview with CNNs Larry King Live Part 4 September 8, 2000 New York. Интервью ведущему телеканала Си-эн-эн Ларри Кингу 8 сентября 2000 года Нью-Йорк. PUTIN (through translator): Indeed our security services believe that he was involved in illegal activities, an investigation has been carried out, now according to the criminal code, he has been provided with all the necessary documentation to get acquainted with. Currently he is reading those documents. President Clinton has expressed his concern with respect to the situation with American citizens. We are not hiding anything. I have talked about it to my American colleagues in detail. But, in our country, like elsewhere the legal process should be finalized and then, depending on the situation and certainly in the spirit of good relationships between our two countries, we'll see we can do. And we'll take into account the relevant decision to be taken by the court. Ultimately, it's only the court who, in a democratic state, could decide whether the man is guilty or not. KING: Do we gather from that, that should you find Mr. Pope did do some things you might want to exchange him for Mr. Ames who's in a prison here for selling spies to you, so we put an end to spying? PUTIN (through translator): I wouldn't like to trade these things, this is not my job to bargain. But I think that experts will decide on what needs to be done. KING: Is -- you were a spy -- I mean, you wanted to be a spy, you were up in the KGB, is spying among friendly nations still warranted? PUTIN (through translator): Intelligence is not running around in the drainage, underground cellars of Moscow or New York. This is an information gathering work. Therefore, intelligence people are very close by their duties to the staff in mass media. They pursue the same goals to gather information, to synthesize it and to present it for the consumption of the decision makers, who could use that information while deciding on things. If the government is active in foreign policies, then such a tool can be efficient. If it's well organized and workable, therefore intelligence could be a good support in deciding and settling international problems. KING: Did you enjoy your career at the KGB? PUTIN (through translator): Well, you know, it was an interesting job. It allowed largely to increase my vision, to get certain skills, skills of dealing with people, with information, which was referred to earlier. It taught me to choose what is the priority and what is less important. That was useful in this regard. KING: I know that you are trying to stop the United States from getting in to more anti-missile defence systems and the like. Why should it matter to you, if another country builds a system that's just defensive? As long as one country doesn't attack another country, what's the difference if we spend 80 billion on defence systems? Why care? PUTIN (through translator): Are you prepared to listen to my monologue. KING: As long as it's not 20 minutes, yes. Why should you care about our defence system? PUTIN (through translator): Well, when our countries agreed on limitations of ABM systems, that was not an accident. When we deploy on our own territories ABM systems, we put together certain facilities which are hard to penetrate for the strikes from outside. If we cover the entire territory by such systems, or try to do so, then according to our experts today, this is a mission impossible. But let's imagine it would take place. That could create on one side an impression -- an illusion that they could without being punished in international affairs whenever they like deal a blow, decide on attack. That would disrupt the balance of strategical interests and forces, which in my opinion is extremely dangerous. When discussing with our American colleagues on this matter, I've always been tempted to remind them of the beginning of the arms race -- nuclear arms race. I always recall the fact that initially nuclear arms emerged -- were created -- in the United States. And subsequently, some scientists who invented those arms, in part at least, the secret concerning the A-bomb, on their own will transferred those secrets to the Soviet Union. Why did they do that? I always ask my American colleagues: "Can you invent something of the kind?" No, we cannot come up with anything like this.

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