Differences Cool Bush-Putin Relationship

President George W. Bush fishes with his daughter Barbara Sunday, July 1, 2007 near Kennebunkport, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) (Robert F. Bukaty - AP)

"We know that Iran is not a threat," Peskov said. "If radar will not have any missiles to track from the Iranian parts, then the job of radar will be inevitably to work against Russian military infrastructure. And this is a problem for us. This is a threat for our security."

While both sides downplayed expectations for the meeting, the two leaders were expected to call their missile defense experts to a joint meeting so they can learn about the installations the United States is proposing and the capabilities of the Azerbaijan system.

They might also come to a closer understanding about getting a third, tougher round of U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran because of its refusal to stop enriching uranium. The U.S., Russia and their fellow permanent U.N. Security Council members have told Iran they will hold off on new sanctions if it stops expanding its enrichment activities while they seek to restart talks about the program with Tehran. Diplomats say the Iranian government has not yet responded to the proposal.

This tiny seacoast town has welcomed the Russian delegation, but an estimated 1,700 demonstrators interrupted a peaceful Sunday afternoon. They called for the impeachment of Bush and an end to the war in Iraq.

"We have a job to do and that job is to hold this administration accountable and take this country back," said John Kaminski of Maine Lawyers for Democracy, a group of 80 attorneys pushing for impeachment proceedings.

Other demonstrators targeted Putin, who is accused of suppressing mostly Muslim, separatist rebels in the breakaway region of Chechnya. Victoria Poupko, who moved from Moscow to Boston 17 years ago, said Bush and Putin are "both criminals" for torture, war crimes and abuse of power, among other things. She carried a sign that said: "Stop imperialism. Bush out of Iraq. Putin out of Chechnya."

Bush, who feels Putin has tried to muzzle free speech, would have approved of a chant led by one demonstrator.

"Tell me what democracy sounds like," she yelled to her followers.

"This is what democracy sounds like," they screamed.

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Associated Press Writer David Sharp in Kennebunkport contributed to this report.