US President George W Bush will not use a speech on his missile defence plan today to announce a US intention to withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, the White House said.
"No, that's not correct", White House spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer told reporters when asked about speculation that Mr Bush would use the speech to make such an announcement.
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Mr Bush said last year during his presidential campaign that ifnecessary he was prepared to abrogate the 1972 ABM treaty, which isseen as a cornerstone of US-Russia arms control agreements and whichprohibits missile defence systems.
Mr Fleischer said Mr Bush spoke with Russian President Mr VladimirPutin for 12 minutes earlier today to discuss his proposals, whichare also expected to include cuts in US nuclear forces.
Mr Bush called Mr Putin to share with him the reasons why he is goingforward with his plans for a missile defence system to preserve thepeace, Mr Fleischer said.
The proposals have proved unpopular with European leaders andyesterday Mr Bush spoke to British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair tocanvass for vital British support for the plan.
The system will rely on satellite stations monitoring the skies, withBritain one of the key locations for the facilities.
The US military must have permission to use Fylingdales radar stationnear Whitby and Menwith Hill Communication centre, near Harrogate,both North Yorkshire, for the system to work.
The system is aimed at defending America from nuclear and chemicalmissiles fired by so-called rogue nations such as Iraq, North Koreaand Iran.
Today Mr Bush will outline his vision for the system at a speech atAmerica's National Defence University and claim he wants it deployedat the same time as cuts are made in the country's huge nucleararsenal.
The hi-tech system would shoot down missiles before they enterAmerican airspace, the same principle as the Star Wars system whichthen-president Ronald Reagan promoted in the 1980s and which was saidto have helped bankrupt the Soviet Union and bring about the fall ofthe Berlin Wall.