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Russia's FM says he expects
success at missile talks with U.S.
RIA
Novosti
Monday Sept 3, 2007
Russia's foreign minister said he expected negotiations with
the United States on the Pentagon's controversial plans to deploy
missile defense elements in Central Europe to achieve results.
Moscow strongly opposes the missile shield plans, which it considers
a security threat, and has so far failed to persuade the U.S.
to opt for alternatives.
Addressing students at the Foreign Ministry's school of international
relations Monday at the start of the new semester, Sergei Lavrov
said: "I expect Russia-U.S. and Russia-NATO consultations
to produce results, and that the sides will come to an agreement.
We would not want this to turn into another missed opportunity."
(Article continues below)
At the G8 summit in June, President Vladimir Putin offered the
U.S. the use of a Russian-leased radar in Azerbaijan as compromise
solution in the ongoing dispute. Three-way consultations between
Russia, Azerbaijan, and the United States on the joint use of
the Gabala radar are scheduled for September 15.
Lavrov also told the students: "the world needs an independent
and competent Russia, capable of looking after itself, first and
foremost. A Russia able to provide security, and make its contribution
to resolving global problems."
The U.S. has said it wants to place ground-based interceptor
missiles in north Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic to
fend off what Washington sees as an impending missile threat from
"rogue states," in particular Iran and North Korea.
The issue has proved divisive in both Central European countries,
which joined the European Union three years ago.
The center-right Czech government backs the plan, but the opposition
vehemently opposes the idea, along with the majority of Czechs.
The Polish opposition, which is also against the plans, has been
putting increasing pressure on Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski,
whose government has lost its parliamentary majority. The U.S.
plans must receive the Polish legislature's backing before moving
forward. Along with Czechs, most Poles are against deploying missile
shield elements in their country.
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