Clinton says he's willing joined share antimissile technology

LISBON, Portugal - President Clinton assured Europeans today he is willing to share missile defense technology with ''civilized nations'' and said he will carry that message to Moscow this weekend.

If the technology is available for such a system, Clinton said in advance of his first direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ''it would be unethical,'' for the United States not to share it.

Putin has recently reiterated longstanding Russian opposition to such a system, which would require amending the landmark 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty to permit such a missile defense.

Skepticism over a national missile defense - a scaled down version of the shield against incoming ballistic missiles once championed by President Reagan in the 1980s - is widespread among European allies.

But Clinton, after a meeting with European Union leaders in Lisbon that focused on trade and security issues, declined to back away from a process that will result in a decision on such a system this summer or fall.

''I have always said that I thought that if the United States had such technology and if the purpose of the technology is to provide protection against irresponsible new nuclear powers and their possible alliances with terrorists and other groups, then every country that is part of a responsible international arms control and nonproliferation regime should have the benefit of this protection,'' Clinton said.

Turning to another trouble spot during a news conference with European Union leaders, Clinton said there was ''a much greater sense of urgency'' to achieve a Middle East peace agreement with the recent withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

He said the pullout heightened anxieties and expectations in the region.

''All the balls are up in the air,'' Clinton said.

Clinton rearranged his schedule to remain in Lisbon for a Thursday morning meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to discuss Middle East developments. The meeting had been scheduled for later Thursday, in Berlin, but was changed to accommodate Barak's schedule.

''You shouldn't over-read this. It's not like there's some bombshell out there,'' Clinton said. ''We just really needed to have a face-to-face meeting and we needed to do it in this timeframe.''

The president will be in Moscow on Saturday and Sunday and a discussion over U.S. missile defense is high on the agenda.

''We've done a lot of information sharing already with the Russians,'' Clinton said. ''We've offered to do more.''

He said he still hasn't made up his mind on whether to go ahead with such a system - but indicated he intends to do so before he leaves office.

Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush has urged Clinton to hold off on attempting to negotiate any arms control pact with Russia, to leave such issues - including the scope of any missile defense program - to the next president.

Clinton said his main criteria remains the same on such a decision - including is there a threat? ''The answer seems to be plainly yes, there is and there clearly will be.''

Clinton met with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres, whose country holds the 15-nation European Union presidency, and Romano Prodi, the president of the European Commission. The commission is the European Union's executive body.

Guterres said the three-way session produced no major progress on trade disputes. ''We need to work together,'' he said.

Guterres and Prodi were asked about their own recent meeting in Moscow with Putin.

Prodi said discussion with Putin stuck to generalities about a national missile defense. ''We didn't go into details.''

Guterres said that any move to strengthen the security of Europe ''must be as comprehensive as possible.''

The meeting was held at the 18th century Palace of Queluz - modeled after France's Versailles - now used as a guest house for state visitors.

Clinton said the leaders also talked about the need to support democracy and economic reform in Russia and the need for a political solution in the independent-minded former Soviet republic of Chechnya.

The president also thanked the European Union for leading efforts to invite Israel to be represented on key U.N. committees. The overture, 50 years after the Mideast nation joined the U.N, marks a turning point in the Jewish state's stormy relationship with the world body and an end to decades of isolation.

''This is a very good development, and I think it will contribute to the negotiating atmosphere that is so important at this difficult and pivotal time in the Middle East,'' Clinton said.