NATO ready to discuss Putin's new proposals on NMD

Moscow, July 3 (UNI) NATO today gave its no-objection to discussing the setting up of information exchange centres between Moscow and Brussels on missile launches in the framework of the Russia-NATO Council.

During talks with his US counterpart George W Bush yesterday in Kennebunkport, Maine, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed setting up of centres to exchange information on national missile defence (NMD) issues, saying "these centres can be set up in Moscow and, for instance, Brussels." President Putin also suggested to expand the number of countries involved in countering global challenges.

A NATO source told RIA Novosti news agency today that there were no serious obstacles in the way of a NATO-Russia dialogue on missile defence and the new proposals could be discussed at the next meeting of the Council.

He said NATO and Russia had been cooperating on the European theatre missile defence system that NATO is planning to build by 2010, and they had already established several forms of information exchange on this issue.

The source also said NATO was ready to expand the scope of cooperation in this area, stressing the new proposals by the Russian President demanded further and detailed explanation.

The Russian leader also proposed that Russia and the United States could jointly use a radar which is being built in southern Russia, in addition to the early warning facility in Gabala, in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan.

Under a programme for development of Russia's Space Forces, a Voronezh-type early warning radar is being built near the town of Armavir, 1,200 kilometres southwest of Moscow. Construction of the new radar is expected to be completed in 2007.

UNI