From his ranch near this flyspeck Texas town, Bush called Putin and "congratulated" him for Russia's role, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters in a conference call.

The US leader also highlighted the role of "close, effective cooperation" between both nations' intelligence services and he and Putin said they looked forward to seeing each other soon, said McClellan.

The two leaders are due to hold a bilateral meeting at the US presidential retreat of Camp David near Washington in late September.

US authorities last week arrested a British man now charged with aiding terrorists by trying to sell surface-to-air missiles to undercover agents posing as Islamic militants intent on downing a US plane.

A federal charge alleged that Hemant Lakhani, a Briton of Indian descent, had smuggled one Russian shoulder-held SA-18 missile into the United States and planned a further shipment of 50 such weapons.

SPACE.WIRE