Russia-US missile defence working group to hold first meet

Moscow, July 19 (UNI) The joint Russia-US missile defence working group will hold its first meeting to discuss the planned deployment of US missile shield in Europe later this month.

"We expect that the whole range of problems in the missile defence field will be discussed, including cooperation proposals of both sides," the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's department of North America, Igor Neverov, told ITAR-TASS today.

"The sides will also discuss possibilities of joint evaluation of threats, because one should begin just with this," Neverov said.

He said the results of the expert group's work will be formulated in a report and sent for discussion to respective Ministers, who in turn will report them to the top leadership.

Neverov said the "international two plus two format has activated at present." "It is a strategic security group that comprises Russian and US foreign and defence ministers. This group will meet for establishing relations in the missile defence field," he said.

Neverov said consultations of experts will precede this ministerial meeting that will be held, later this year.

UNI