Russia,US to consult on missile offer in Sept-Baku

BAKU, Aug 21 (Reuters) Officials from Russia and the United States will meet for talks in early September on Moscow's offer of the joint use of a radar station it leases in Azerbaijan, the Azeri foreign minister said today.

''There will be consultations at the start of September between the Russian, American and Azeri sides on the Qabala radar station. We are now discussing the details of the best format for all of this,'' said Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the US military use of the radar station as part of a counter-proposal to Washington's plans to locate elements of a missile defence shield in the Czech Republic and Poland.

The United States says its shield is designed to protect from rocket attacks launched by ''rogue states'' such as Iran and North Korea, but Russia says the plan is a threat to its own security.

The Soviet-built Qabala radar station is in northeast Azerbaijan, about 200 km (125 miles) from neighbouring Iran.

Putin's offer was conditional on Washington scrapping its missile shield plans. US President George W Bush said the proposal was ''innovative'' but his officials made clear it was not a substitute for their radar deployment plans in Europe.

Mamedyarov was speaking after talks in Baku between Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The Azeri foreign minister said the two leaders had not discussed the radar station proposal.

REUTERS GT RK2301