Nothing new in US missile defence offer-Russia

MOSCOW, Oct 17 (Reuters) The latest US proposals on its plan to build a missile defence shield in eastern Europe contain nothing new, local news agencies quoted Russian military chief of staff Yuri Baluevsky as saying today.

''The General Staff and experts from the Russian side see nothing new in these proposals,'' he said, commenting on proposals put forward last week by a visiting US delegation.

Baluevsky also said he did not think Iran would have intercontinental missiles in the medium term and that he saw no immediate need for Russia to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

Reuters PD GC1738