Russia rebuffs US overtures on missile shield

RUSSIA: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates offered Russia cooperation on missile defence activities but was rebuffed by Moscow who said a planned US missile shield was “seriously destabilising”.

Nevertheless, Gates said he remained “cautiously optimistic” after meetings with President Vladimir Putin, First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdukov. Both sides agreed to continue discussions on US proposals for cooperation on missile defense research and development, missile warning data and joint operations.

Gates even held out the possibility of co-locating a radar with the Russians.

“I think we are beginning to get down to specific issues of concern to Russia, and I believe the experts will clear up any misunderstandings as well as address Russian concerns,” he told reporters.

Gates’ upbeat view contrasted with a statement read by the Russian defence minister saying Russia’s position on the US missile shield “remains unchanged”.

“We believe the strategic missile defence system is a seriously destabilising factor that can have a significant influence on regional and global security,” Serdyukov said, speaking through an official interpreter.

Moscow was Gates’ first stop on a European trip to try to ease tensions aroused by US plans to establish missile defence sites in Europe, to counter what Washington views as a growing missile threat from Iran.

Russia in particular has adamantly opposed plans to station 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a targeting radar in the Czech Republic, countries that lie close to Russian territory and were once under Moscow’s control. Gates said he believed Serdyukov’s rebuff was prepared before their hour-long meeting and did not reflect the tone of the discussions.

“One of the concerns that we are going to have to address and work with them over time is their concern that someday in the future, at some distant point a few years from now, the character of these sites might change, and in fact become a greater concern in terms of Russian strategic security,” Gates said.

He said that might involve placing restrictions on missile defence sites. The Russians also voiced concern about the US deployment of conventional intercontinental ballistic missiles, Gates said. But the talks focused mainly on missile defence and a US proposal for cooperation presented to the Russians last week at a NATO meeting.

The United States was “willing to explore cooperation with Russia across the full spectrum of missile defence activities”, Gates said.

“We could potentially work together to explore new concepts and technologies, conduct research and development on missile defence systems and components, to share early warning data, to promote stability and to improve the capacity of our forces to conduct successful cooperative missile defence operations during peacekeeping and other joint military activities,” he said.

He told reporters later that he invited the Russians to inspect the US missile defence site at Fort Greely, Alaska, and a radar in California similar to the one proposed for the Czech Republic.

Meanwhile US President George W. Bush and President Putin discussed the US plan for a missile defense shield in Europe and the future of Kosovo, the White House said.

“They discussed areas of mutual interest, including missile defense and Kosovo,” as well as US Defense Secretary Robert Gates’s trip to Moscow, said national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

Moscow, Tuesday, AFP.