Putin urges US not to rush missile shield plan

NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia, Oct 12 (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin said today he hoped the United States would not rush to implement a plan to site elements of a planned missile shield in eastern Europe.

''The one thing on which I would like to focus attention is that in the process of these difficult negotiations we hope that you will not force through previous agreements with eastern European countries,'' Itar-Tass news agency quoted Putin as telling visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

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