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The commander in chief was caught on an open microphone on Monday telling Russia's president that he would have more flexibility for a missile deal during his second term, according to reports.
Obama was finishing a 90-minute meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev at a South Korea summit when the interchange happened, ABC News reported.
"On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him to give me space,” Obama told Medvedev, asking him to pass the comments on to incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Medvedev got the political import right away.
"Yeah, I understand," Medvedev said, the mic catching it all. "I understand your message about space.”
Obama said he would be in a better position to make a deal once he got through his re-election bid.
"This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility," Obama said.
Again, the Russian president appeared to understood the politics involved.
"I will transmit this information to Vladimir," he told the president.
A senior administration official later told ABC News that this "is not the kind of year in which we’re going to resolve (an) incredibly complicated issue like this."
[video=youtube;uI0DYcHtTlI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI0DYcHtTlI[/video]
Obama was finishing a 90-minute meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev at a South Korea summit when the interchange happened, ABC News reported.
"On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him to give me space,” Obama told Medvedev, asking him to pass the comments on to incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Medvedev got the political import right away.
"Yeah, I understand," Medvedev said, the mic catching it all. "I understand your message about space.”
Obama said he would be in a better position to make a deal once he got through his re-election bid.
"This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility," Obama said.
Again, the Russian president appeared to understood the politics involved.
"I will transmit this information to Vladimir," he told the president.
A senior administration official later told ABC News that this "is not the kind of year in which we’re going to resolve (an) incredibly complicated issue like this."
[video=youtube;uI0DYcHtTlI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI0DYcHtTlI[/video]