On the eve of the visit to Russia, President George W. Bush granted an interview to ITAR-TASS first deputy director general Mikhail Gusman.
Mikhail Gusman: Thank you for this unique opportunity to meet with you on the eve of your historic visit to Russia. Mr. President, with what mood are you embarking on this visit? What do you hope to achieve during the meetings with President Putin?
George Bush: Well, first, we have never been to Russia before. Russia is a great country and we gladly look forward to seeing it. We look forward to visiting Moscow, visiting St. Petersburg. So... even from the point of view of expanding the mental outlook, our world- view, this will be a wonderful experience.
Second, an important visit is at hand, as the world will make certain that the US and Russia are no longer enemies, that we are friends. I hope to sign an important document that will make this clear.
Third, I would like the world to learn that we are real friends with President Putin. I like him and I trust him. We have good talks. And this will be an opportunity to talk... to discuss our relations again.
All this is important for the world to see, as Russia is a great country and the US is a great country. And when two great countries are friends and get along well, this helps to calm down... may contribute to peace in restless districts of the planet. This is important.
Mikhail Gusman: Mrs. Bush, what would you like to see in Moscow and St. Petersburg?
Laura Bush: Of course, it will be interesting for me to see your beautiful country, all the splendor of its culture - the pictures of the Hermitage, ballet - in a word, everything I am enthusiastic about. But it will also be interesting for me to be a guest of Mrs. Putin.
Mikhail Gusman: Mr. President, this will be your fifth meeting with President Putin, it seems. How are your personal relations developing?
George Bush: Well, well indeed. As you said, this will be the fifth meeting. And if there had been no personal understanding or it had been bad, there would have been no the five meetings, there would have been only one. But will be meeting for the fifth time, which in itself testifies, first, to the meaning of these relations, and second, to how well we are getting along with each other.
We have much in common with President Putin. First, we both love our wives and daughters. We love our motherlands, love physical exercises, love being in the fresh air.
Mikhail Gusman: Let me touch upon two political topics: nuclear arms reduction and the Russia-NATO relationship. In brief, what do you expect for these topics from the upcoming summit?
George Bush: After the visit to Russia we are departing for Italy to the NATO forum in which Vladimir Putin will participate. I hope the "twenty" format relationship will be codified and registered there, which will secure Russia a unique and important status in relations with NATO. This will be extremely important.
I support the "twenty" mode for Russia. I think this will be... As they say, Tony Blair and I have long been working on this and Vladimir Putin knows about my attitude to this matter.
Second, I want us to codify reduction... considerable strategic arms reduction. This is important, to show the world that we are no longer enemies, that we do not clutch at the stores of those terrible arms, that new interrelations are beginning to develop.
Mikhail Gusman: Mr. President, let me go back to the September 11 tragedy. What were your first thoughts, words, decisions after the terrorist attack?
George Bush: Get them.
Of course, this was a stab right in my heart. See, I was sitting at that time in a school classroom in Florida. Before this, I had been told that the airplane had crashed into the building. I was sitting and listening a story of how kids learn to read. And then my chief of staff came up to me and said, "America has been attacked".
I talked to Vladimir Putin at the very beginning too. This meant much for me. For in previous times, if the US had sounded the alarm, Russia would have also sounded the alarm. This might have created a problem. But Vladimir Putin knew that our alarm did not pose a threat for Russia. And his call was very gratifying, comforting, and very important.
Mikhail Gusman: From where did you derive your inward strength that frightful day? Do you have a feeling that it is given to you from on high?
George Bush: Yes, I have. I trust in Providence. And I prayed. Asked to give me strength, wisdom, and comfort, of course.
Mikhail Gusman: Mr. President, you are the second president in your family. What influence did your father have on you, as a man, a symbol in a way?
George Bush: You know, this is an excellent question. I get along well with myself - it seems to me that is primarily because I accept myself as I am. I do not try to change myself, to pretend that I am somewhat different in fact.
It seems to me this is because my mom and dad unconditionally loved me. Nothing can be better than mom and dad's love. And my parents loved me. As a young man, I sometimes was difficult to love, but they did. The main thing my mom and dad gave me is love.
Mikhail Gusman: I remember at the meeting in Austin you mentioned your mother's name six times. And I could never forget her tears when at the inauguration she was standing between the two presidents - the husband and son. She had six sons. What it was like for the eldest son and brother to grow up in such a big family?
George Bush: It seems to me the eldest son may have... in many respects unique relations with his mother. I am close to my mom, my dad. You know, in Texas they said about me: he has his dad's eyes and mom's tongue. Of course, I inherited a great deal from my mother and I thank fate for this.
We are a loving family. Family is very important to us. For Laura and me, and my next relatives. My brothers treat Laura as a sister. As for Laura, she had no brothers and sisters of her own, but she received a big family into the bargain.
Laura Bush: And this is so pleasant.
Mikhail Gusman: Well, Mr. President, what were your first impressions on meeting Laura?
George Bush: I was overcome. This was love at first sight. I was head over heels in love. And as Laura just said, we did not need much time to understand that we are made for each other. We married in three months - a very brief courtship. (Translated by P. Pikhnovsky)