Russia disappointed by US shield proposal-report

MOSCOW, Nov 23 (Reuters) US proposals aimed at easing Russian concerns over a planned missile defence shield fall short of Moscow's expectations, local media quoted a Russian Foreign Ministry source as saying today.

''Our hopes have not been borne out. This is not what we were promised,'' Itar-Tass news agency quoted the Foreign Ministry source as saying.

The United States submitted a package of documents to Russia this week setting out compromise proposals on the shield. These were first raised when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Moscow in October.

''The United States has passed to us its specific proposals on missile defence,'' the agency quoted the source as saying.

''Our first look at them has shown that over the six weeks during which the American side promised to prepare written proposals, the US position has not changed.'' Washington wants to locate interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic as part of a shield it says is essential to protect Europe from rocket attacks by what is calls ''rogue states'' such as Iran and North Korea.

Russia believes the shield is targeted against its missile arsenal and poses a threat to its national security. President Vladimir Putin has warned of unspecified retaliatory measures if the shield goes ahead.

Reuters RC GC1500