Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 5 July 2017
No ‘specific agenda,’ but Trump, Putin have lots to discuss

By JOSH LEDERMAN and Putin would be imme- and developing nations. cern it undermines the le- sponse from the U.S. Putin
MATTHEW LEE diately seized upon by the Ahead of the meeting, gitimacy of his win. He’s has denied all this.
Associated Press president’s critics and Rus- Russian Ambassador Ser- also insisted there was no There are no indications
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- sia hawks eager to show gey Kislyak met Monday collusion with him or his Trump plans to raise Rus-
dent Donald Trump’s first sia’s meddling at the meet-
face-to-face meeting with ing. Yet if he doesn’t, it will
Russian President Vladimir give fuel to Trump’s critics
Putin on Friday will be brim- who say he’s blatantly ig-
ming with global intrigue, noring a major national se-
but the White House says curity threat. It could also
there’s “no specific agen- embolden those who say
da.” So in the absence Trump is trying to cover for
of a set list of topics, what the Russians after benefit-
are two of the world’s most ing from their interference.
famously unpredictable
leaders to discuss? IRRITANTS
Trump, who prefers to have Each side has a long list of
neatly packaged achieve- complaints about the other
ments to pair with high-pro- that do not rise to the geo-
file meetings, may be look- political level but are none-
ing for some concessions theless impeding broader
from Russia to show he’s de- attempts to coordinate or
livering progress and help- cooperate on larger con-
ing restore a productive cerns. After meeting in Mos-
relationship between the cow earlier this year, Sec-
two powers. Putin would al- retary of State Rex Tillerson
most surely want something and Russian Foreign Minis-
in return, and there’s a long ter Sergey Lavrov agreed
list of “irritants” between to set up a mechanism to
the two countries that they Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks in St.Petersburg, Russia. President Donald Trump’s first deal with these issues the
could potentially resolve. face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week will be brimming with Russians describe as “irri-
Ahead of the bilateral global intrigue, but the White House says there’s “no specific agenda.” So in the absence of a tants” and the Americans
meeting, White House Na- set topic list, what are two of the world’s most famously unpredictable leaders to discuss? call “the smalls.”
(AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)
tional Security Council and But even that effort has
State Department officials he’s cozying up to the in Washington with the No. campaign, a conclusion stalled. After the Treasury
have been reviewing pos- Russian leader. The ongo- 3 U.S. diplomat, Thomas that U.S. investigators have last month imposed new
sible gestures the U.S. could ing investigations into Rus- Shannon, to prepare. not yet reached. sanctions on Russia for its in-
offer Russia as part of the sia’s interference in the A look at what Trump and U.S. officials says Russia tried tervention in Ukraine, Mos-
meeting, a current and a U.S. election and potential Putin could address: to hack election systems in cow called off a scheduled
former administration offi- Trump campaign collusion 21 states and to sway the second meeting between
cial said. They weren’t au- won’t be far from anyone’s ELECTION HACKING election for Trump, a level Thomas Shannon, the U.S.
thorized to comment pub- minds. Trump has been reluctant of interference in the U.S. undersecretary of state for
licly and requested ano- The two leaders will sit down to publicly and directly ac- political system that secu- political affairs, and Sergey
nymity. in Hamburg, Germany, on knowledge Russia’s role in rity experts say represents a Ryabkov, a Russian deputy
Yet any outward sign of the sidelines of a Group of meddling in the U.S. elec- top-level threat that should foreign minister.
bonhomie between Trump 20 summit of leading rich tion, out of apparent con- command a forceful re- Continued on page 27

China, Russia offer plan for easing North Korea tensions

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV The missile flew higher and down for talks to agree on missile programs.” “some negative factors”
Associated Press longer than previous ones principles that include a They specifically opposed were hurting U.S.-China re-
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia North Korea has launched, refusal to use force and a U.S. missile defense sys- lations.
and China on Tuesday pro- sparking concerns around pledge to make the Kore- tems in the region, saying Putin hailed Xi during their
posed a plan for defusing the world. Moscow and an Peninsula free of nucle- their deployment “seriously Kremlin talks as a “big
tensions over North Korea, Beijing called Tuesday’s ar weapons. At the same damages strategic security friend” and presented him
suggesting that Pyong- test “unacceptable.” time, the document em- interests of regional pow- with Russia’s highest award
yang declare a morato- The foreign ministries said phasized that the North’s ers, including Russia and for his efforts to strengthen
rium on nuclear and missile that as a “voluntary politi- “sensible concerns” must China” and hinders peace ties. Xi said “the Russian-
tests while the United States cal decision,” North Korea be respected and urged and stability. Chinese relations are now
and South Korea refrain should declare a “mora- other nations to create a Xi’s visit to Russia came the best ever.”
from large-scale military torium on testing nuclear “peaceful atmosphere of amid a flare-up of tensions After the talks, the two
exercises. devices and test launches mutual trust” to help launch between China and the countries’ officials signed
The Russian and Chinese of ballistic missiles.” In turn, the talks. In an apparent U.S. over an American de- several dozen agreements
foreign ministries made the the U.S. and South Korea hint at the U.S., Beijing and stroyer sailing within the ter- to bolster their coopera-
recommendation in a joint should “accordingly refrain Moscow spoke against the ritorial waters of a Chinese- tion. Trump, Putin and Xi
statement after talks be- from large-scale joint ma- “non-regional powers’ mili- claimed island in the South are scheduled to attend
tween President Vladimir neuvers,” the joint state- tary presence in Northeast China Sea. the Group of 20 summit in
Putin and Chinese Presi- ment added. Asia and its buildup under Before arriving in Moscow Germany this week. Putin
dent Xi Jinping and anoth- They said “the confronting the pretext of countering Monday, Xi warned Presi- and Trump are to hold their
er North Korean missile test. parties” involved should sit North Korea’s nuclear and dent Donald Trump that first meeting there.q