Breaking the Ice

" Major test of their political clout for President Obama and Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev yet they will meet face to face in just a couple of hours. Both hoping to fall a relationship that has become considerably ice a year since -- gives them predecessor Vladimir Putin came to power. Ambassador Eric Edelman is the former undersecretary. Policy in his distinguished fellow. At the CS BAA at the Washington think tank. Mr. ambassador the Russians were not happy that the US intended to build this land based interceptor missile system. -- pulling it in Poland the Czech Republic. Mr. Obama has canceled that are the Russians community should be rejoicing right."

" Well clearly this is going to be seen both in Russia and throughout Central Europe. As acquiescence in Russian objections although the administration's been a great pains to deny that the decision had anything to do that but rather was taken on. Grounds having to do with the purely dealing with the Iranian missile threat but unfortunately. Whether or not that's true. No one in Europe and know what in Russia believes that well so. Would you expect the Russians to turn around and and quid pro quo offer us some things that we are looking for from their side. Well Russian spokesman on the subject both before and after the decision last Thursday about missile defense. Have said publicly. That they do not regard this as a concession for which they need to pay anything. Rather it's just a rectification of a primer prior error by the United States that's been said both by. Foreign minister Lavrov and they're NATO ambassador."

" Or -- them. Well one thing obviously that the United States has grave concerns about is Iran and it's what seems to be its rapidly arming the policy other news the Russians are very heavily. Involved in helping Iran with its nuclear program should we expect some help from them there. Well."

" That seemed to be at least a theory that some people have -- canceling that missile defense deployment that had been proposed earlier. But I don't see much sign of of that either. Just few few days ago prime minister Bruton said he didn't think there should be sanctions on Iran. And tomorrow President Obama will preside over a meeting of the Security Council. That will be dealing with the nonproliferation. And will pass a resolution on it. And although he mentioned Iran and North Korea as a subject of concern in his speech today. I don't believe they'll be any mention by name of those two countries. And certainly not Iran and in the resolution tomorrow and that's at the behest of Russia and China well after these two leaders meet today as this relationship continues to unfold we'll have you back on to discuss how it's going."