PRESIDENT PUTIN’S PROPOSALS ARE IMPORTANT AND INTERESTING FOR U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.06.2007 13:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The United States is interested in cooperation
with Russia in the missile defense sphere, U.S. Assistant Secretary
John Rood stated to a press conference in Astana. He said, President
Putin’s proposals in this regard are very important and interesting
and the United States hopes that discussions over that offer will
continue on the level of experts.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislyak, who was also present at
that press conference, in his part underlined that President Vladimir
Putin did not offer to place an air defense system in Azerbaijan. "The
idea is not in building a new air defense system in Azerbaijan, and
properly speaking we cannot offer to create an air defense system on
the territory of a third country.

The idea is in using the existing one, since this time-proved and
very effective radar allows to scan any launches from the Near and
Middle East, i.e. where appearance of new missiles is possible,"
Kislyak added, RIA "Novosti" reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin during the final press conference
after the G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany offered his American
counterpart to share the use of the Gabala radar station, which Russia
leases from Azerbaijan. In his part Bush said that Russia and the
United States have agreed to hold a strategic dialog over the missile
defense problem with participation of military experts and diplomats.