NATO says missile compromise with Russia still possible
MOSCOW. September 27. KAZINFORM Russia and NATO still had chance to settle their differences over the long-disputed missile defense issues, NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said Thursday, according to Xinhua.
In a Moscow-Brussels video linkup conference, Vershbow lauded political dialogue between the two sides, saying it had intensified.
According to Vershbow, Russia and NATO faced common threats of ballistic missile proliferation. He urged the two sides to cooperate over the issue, which, in his words, would also increase trust between the sides.
The NATO official again denied the U.S.-led NATO European missile defense system targeted Russia, saying it was a counter to threats from outside of the Euro-Atlantic region.
Last week, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Moscow and NATO had made little progress in missile defense talks.
Moscow has always opposed the missile shield near its borders and has called for legally binding guarantees from the U.S. and NATO it will not target Russia, which the U.S. and NATO have refused to give.