Declassified documents state Clinton asking Putin to help hunt Bin Laden
(MENAFN) Declassified documents reveal that former US President Bill Clinton proposed a joint US-Russian effort to combat international terrorism during his first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The transcript, released following a Freedom of Information lawsuit by the National Security Archive, covers their June 4, 2000, meeting at the Kremlin. Clinton asked Putin about cooperating on anti-terrorism measures, specifically targeting Osama bin Laden, and suggested a “coordinated strategy” between Washington and Moscow. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to address the threat posed by the Al-Qaeda leader.
At the time, President Putin was dealing with an Islamist insurgency in Russia’s North Caucasus region and agreed that a “common front” was necessary to counter what he described as a “Terrorist International.”
The leaders also discussed the possibility of Russia joining NATO, with Clinton acknowledging that NATO’s eastward expansion was seen as problematic in Moscow. Putin expressed support for “full-scale relations between Russia and NATO.”
After the 9/11 attacks, the US and Russia closely cooperated against radical Islamist groups, forming joint task forces. However, relations soured as the US pursued unilateral military interventions, including the 2003 Iraq invasion, which Russia criticized as a violation of international law.
In recent years, cooperation has been minimal, particularly following the 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Since January, under President Donald Trump, Washington and Moscow have begun discussing ways to restore bilateral relations, including potential economic and energy cooperation, highlighted in phone calls and the Alaska summit earlier this month.
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