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MOSCOW-Outgoing President Vladimir Putin, in talks with President Bush's two top foreign policy aides, embraced on Monday a U.S. proposal to set a broad agenda for the future-not just on the thorny issue of missile defense but on a range of problems the next U.S. and Russian leaders will face.Putin, whose hand-picked successor, Dmitry Medvedev, is due to take office May 7, told Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates that his nation is ready to accept portions of a proposed new framework for often-troubled U.S.-Russian relations.He did not provide details. Putin disclosed that he had received and closely analyzed a letter from Bush, which a Gates spokesman said was meant to spell out an agenda for this week's talks in Moscow and to propose that both sides agree on the fundamental issues for the future of their relationship.The Bush administration's push to expand its missile defense network into central Europe-and Putin's firm and unrelenting opposition to it-is the most contentious security issue facing the two countries. But there are other issues, including economic and political matters, that the Bush administration would like to see advanced as Putin steps aside to assume a role of uncertain political clout.Greeting Rice and Gates at his Kremlin office, Putin recalled that they had held talks last October-a session dominated by differences over missile defense and marked by sharp rhetoric from the Russian president."Six months have passed and we believe that in some of these issues we can probably dot the I's and reach final agreement," Putin said.He did not mention specifics of the Bush letter or say what areas of agreement he had in mind.Putin called the Bush letter a "very serious document" and said that he had studied it closely."If we can reach agreement on its most important provisions than we will be able to state that our dialogue is proceeding successfully. There are still a lot of outstanding problems that need to be discussed," Putin said, sitting across at table from Rice and Gates.The tone of the meeting was warm, in contrast to past Putin sessions where he has been known to make a speech, setting out a Russian hard-line.Medvedev also set a positive mood when he met earlier with Gates and Rice, greeting them and smiling often-a much less imposing figure than Putin, who has moved to consolidate his power and control of Russia in recent years.Medvedev said Russia still has questions about U.S. missile defense plans but, like Putin, he said he thinks they can be resolved and that there are other important parts of the relationship that need to be advanced."We are determined to go ahead," Medvedev said. "We need to provide for continuity in the Russian-U.S. relationship."Rice agreed with both Putin and, separately, Medvedev, saying the U.S. and Russia have "a firm foundation for cooperation" on missile defense, which the United States sees as a way to defend against missiles from nations such as Iran and North Korea.Gates, who had taken a hard line going into the talks, told Medvedev and then Putin that he hoped the two sides can bridge differences.The Pentagon chief said the U.S. and Russia agree on some issues, and "those where we have disagreements we can see if we can make progress."Gates, still wearing a sling after fracturing his arm in a fall, joked about his injury as a negotiating tactic."With a broken arm, I won't be nearly as difficult a negotiator," Gates told Medvedev Responded Medvedev in Russian: "We'll see."En route to Moscow from Washington, Gates said that it is up to the Russians to show they are not pursuing a "sham game" to thwart U.S. efforts to establish missile defense sites in Europe.He and Rice saw some prospect of progress on long-stalled negotiations over U.S. proposals to establish missile defense sites in central Europe, Gates added with a note of caution."I wouldn't get too enthusiastic at this point," he said.Gates earlier set a tough tone, questioning the sincerity of the Russian government's objections to missile defense."My view is we've put a lot on the table" in recent negotiations, Gates said. "Now it's time for them to reciprocate."Gates and Rice were seeing Putin and Medvedev before daylong talks Tuesday with the Russian defense and foreign ministers.Gates said he and Rice were bringing no new missile defense proposals to the talks, which will range from cooperation against terrorism, future arms control and economic relations. U.S. officials have said they have "tweaked" previous proposals for cooperation that got a mixed reaction from Moscow.Rice suggested the Russians are watching the U.S. election season with an eye toward cutting a deal, or at least making headway while there is a known commodity in the White House.In general, Rice, said, "people want to get as much done as they can, because they sense American politics are going to be unpredictable. "Added Gates:"At some point the Russians are going to have to decide whether they want to be true partners-which we're offering-or whether this is all just a sham game on their part to (stop) the whole deal."Rice would not predict a breakthrough but said Russia may be more convinced of the shield's utility, and that the two sides see opportunities for technical collaboration."I would hope that we can move from the conceptual level to some more specific proposals," Rice told reporters flying with her to the joint meetings.Without offering specifics, Rice indicated that the two sides are nearer to an arrangement to assess and plan side-by-side for theoretical missile threats from such rogue states as Iran or North Korea, and for ways to assure Russia that the shield is being developed and deployed as advertised. That could include both human and electronic monitoring of sites planned for Poland and the Czech Republic, Rice said.As in the days of Noah...
