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The initial Biden-Putin pool report questioned whether VPOTUS had indeed
replied, “Good idea,” after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin suggested
the U.S. and Russia work quickly to a regime where travelers between the two
countries would no longer need visas. Stenographer informs your pooler that
indeed VPOTUS did say, “Good idea.”

A VPOTUS aide also informs the pool that after the meeting, Mr. Putin
invited VPOTUS to his private office for a one-on-one meeting.


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*From*: Weisman, Jonathan <Jonathan.Weisman@wsj.com>
*To*: Alexander, Elizabeth; Epstein, Michael S. (Associate); Allen,
Elizabeth M.
*Sent*: Thu Mar 10 06:23:56 2011
*Subject*: Moscow Pool Report -- Biden-Putin meeting

At the Russian White House, a large, Soviet-era government building
where Boris Yeltsin once stood on a tank, pool was ushered into a
high-ceilinged room, like a hearing room on Capitol Hill only with two
gaudy, crystal chandeliers, a single, long conference table, and a parquet,
wooden floor that gave the three-dimensional effect of an M.C. Escher print.
The backdrop was two Russian flags, two American.

At 12:48 p.m. local time, VPOTUS and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin walked in from opposite entrances.

“Mr. Prime Minister, nice to meet you,” VPOTUS said as they shook hands.

Their entourages then entered and sat on opposite sides of the table.
The U.S. side, from left to right, included National Security Council
Russian expert Michael McFaul, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs
William Burns, U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle, VPOTUS, the translator
and VP National Security Adviser Antony Blinken.

Putin started, saying through an interpreter, “there are quite a few
things to enjoy in Moscow. You haven’t been here for some time.”

He added, “Moscow and Russia have changed a lot for the better, I
believe,” to which VPOTUS said, “I agree.”

Putin praised improved relations between the countries, ratification of
New START, peaceful atomic energy cooperation, and the increasing
investments of U.S. companies, “to name a few,” Boeing, General Electric and
Chevron. He said it was “especially pleasing” to see the rise of Russian
investments in the United States.

He then pressed VPOTUS on visas, saying Russia and the European Union
are negotiating a “visa-free regime” for visitors like the one the U.S. has
with most European countries. He said it would be good if the United States
and Russia could beat the EU to such a regime, to replace “outdated
stereotypes between Russia and the U.S.”

According to Russian speakers in the room, the interpreter said VPOTUS
responded, “good idea,” but no press present heard him say that in English,
and given the state of Russian borders in Asia, such an accord seems
unlikely in the short run.

VPOTUS followed with a note of caution: “In case you haven’t noticed,
there’s a real difference between being president and vice president.”

But he said POTUS and VPOTUS agree on strengthening U.S. and Russian
relations, framing it in terms of U.S. self-interest.

“I’ve made one observation in the last two years: When other countries
around the world have a problem, they go to Moscow or Washington. They don’t
go to other capitals,” VPOTUS said.

Looking forward to the speech he will make this afternoon at Moscow
State University, he talked up advancing the gains made in the past two
years by strengthening economic ties.

“Now is the time to focus on the economy,” VPOTUS said.

He spoke of the U.S.-Russian business roundtable he attended yesterday
where the chief of Boeing in Russia said the market for aircraft in China is
seven times larger than in Russia, but Boeing is here “because Russia has
the best engineers in the world.” It has human capital.

Pool was ushered out as VPOTUS was still talking, a similar treatment
meted out yesterday at Russian President Medvedev’s dacha.

Before the White House meeting, pool was brought in for a photo up at
Spaso House, the U.S. ambassador’s residence, at 10:20 a.m., where VPOTUS
was meeting with human rights and civil society activists. VPOTUS stood
smiling with an array of business suits, dresses and clerics in robes,
turbans, and collars.

Pool is now holding at Spaso House.

Here is a list of civil society activists that met with VPOTUS:

Lyudmila Alekseyeva, Lev Ponomaryov, Yevgeniya Chirikova, Yuriya Dzhibladze,
Vladimir Lukin, Oleg Orlov, Svetlana Gannushinka, Andrey Buzin, Yelena
Panfilova, Oleg Kashin, Yevgeniy Velikhov, Natalia Budaeva, Reid Nelson,
Bishop Sergey Ryakhovskiy, Jacob (Iakov) Klain, Rabbi Adolf Shayevich,
Metropolitan Ilharion, Archimandrite Zacchaeus, Ravil Gainuddin.


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