Reuters AlertNet Lite - U.S. OKs '2+2' missile shield talks with Russia

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

U.S. OKs '2+2' missile shield talks with Russia

04 May 2007 21:38:15 GMT
Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - The United States has agreed for U.S. and Russian defense and foreign ministers to meet to try allay Russian concerns about U.S. missile defense plans in Eastern Europe, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried said there had been discussion of holding so-called "2+2" talks among the four ministers in September or early in the fall but no date had been set.

Washington has angered Russia and unsettled some European allies with a plan to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic from 2012 to help shield Europe from possible missile attack by nations such as Iran.

While European concerns about the missile shield appear to be easing, Russia has yet to be persuaded by U.S. arguments that the system is no threat to its nuclear deterrent and has so far rebuffed U.S. invitations to cooperate on the system.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has frozen commitments under a post-Cold War treaty on conventional force levels in Europe in protest.

Fried said he was hopeful that, over time, Russian concerns could be addressed and said one venue for doing so could be talks among the defense and foreign minsters.

"We have agreed to a Russian suggestion that the secretaries of defense and state meet with their Russian counterparts," Fried told reporters, saying U.S. and Russian national security advisers might also be included.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week said it was "ludicrous" to suggest the system the United States plans to build in Poland and the Czech Republic would threaten Russia's nuclear deterrent of thousands of warheads.

Fried said he did not know exactly what underpins Russian objections but suggested they may reflect a misunderstanding of the proposed system, the fear that it could be expanded to threaten Russia's nuclear deterrent or a desire to stir up misgivings in parts of Europe about the missile shield.

"Whatever the explanation, and as I have said we don't know, our answer is to offer cooperation with the Russians ... and be completely transparent in everything we do," he said.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Czech Republic profile
· View map

• Poland profile
· View map

• Russia profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• The UMCOR Hotline for May 01, 2007
UMCOR - USA

• Texas Long-term Recovery Summit will focus on Rita's forgotten families
CWS

• FIRST LADY LAUDS VAST REACH OF NEW MALARIA PREVENTION PROGRAM
WV - USA

• U.S. LEGISLATION AIMS TO STOP USE OF CHILD SOLDIERS
WV - USA

• WORLD VISION: GLOBAL WATER SHORTAGE A CONCERN
WV - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

• U.S. OKs '2+2' missile shield talks with Russia

• US govt says to reduce bird flu testing during '07

• US SAYS SURVEILLANCE WILL NOW FOCUS ON SPECIES, LOCATIONS WITH B

• US-Iran diplomatic dance ends with ice cream chat

• Brazil bypasses patent on Merck AIDS drug

MORE >>

Last updated:Fri May 4 21:41:09 2007