Russia hopes to convince US experts of radar plan

MOSCOW, Sept 3 (Reuters) Moscow voiced hope today that a visit by US military experts to a radar station in Azerbaijan will convince Washington the facility is a realistic alternative to a planned U.S.

missile shield in Europe.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he believed Washington could be convinced to back Russia's suggestion that both countries should share data from the Qabala radar station in Azerbaijan, which is now leased to Moscow.

The counter-offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin was tabled to US President George W Bush during the summer as an alternative to Washington's plans to install interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic.

''I hope that the visit will achieve results and that the capabilities of that station will be appreciated by the US specialists,'' Lavrov said.

''If the experts take an unbiased approach to what we are proposing, I do not think it will be hard to see that our proposal makes sense,'' he told reporters in Moscow.

Lavrov's comments signalled Moscow's commitment to the plan, about a week before the US delegation's visit, despite some negative reaction from Washington.

The United States says its shield would offer protection 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 and would upset the military balance in Europe.

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

Putin's offer was conditional on Washington scrapping its missile shield plans. U.S. 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.

REUTERS PY KN2329