Crawford - US President George Bush said yesterday the US would withdraw "on our timetable" from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, a long-standing cornerstone of arms control.
In one of his most explicit statements on the issue, Mr Bush told reporters the accord hampered U.S. ability to keep the peace because it prohibited deployment of a missile defence shield. He said he had made that clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added that Washington would continue to "consult closely" with its allies in Europe and with Putin. But administration officials have said crucial decisions must be made before Mr Bush and Mr Putin meet in November at Mr Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas.