U.S. "reassures Russia on shield"

The U.S. has offered Russia assurances over parts of a missile shield it wants to deploy in Europe. In an interview with the daily Izvestiya, Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. had agreed to allow Moscow to monitor the missile protection system. U.S. "reassures Russia on shield" The comments came after high level bilateral discussions in Moscow. Russia has opposed U.S. plans to establish missile defense installations in two central European countries. These currently include some interceptor missiles in Poland and an associated radar facility in the Czech Republic. The U.S. says these are needed to counter a potential threat from Iran, though Moscow fears they could be used against Russia. Building trust Lavrov and other Russian officials have been discussing the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Moscow this week. "The American side is ready to offer us an entire series of trust-building measures so that we become convinced that their system isn't working against us," Lavrov was quoted as saying on Izvestiya's website. "Its meaning is as follows: we will be able to see what the radar is doing and what the real condition of the interceptors' base is - involving both human factor and technical means." The Russian foreign minister struck a cautiously positive note after the bilateral talks had failed to produce a visible breakthrough. "The missile defense issue has been decided in Washington and our attitude to that is well-known: this step would further erode strategic stability in the world," Lavrov said. "At this stage we have managed to make the Americans acknowledge that our concerns aren't unfounded." "They are continuing to persuade us that they have no intention to use these bases in Poland and the Czech Republic against us, but they have to accept our argument as well - in such things it's the potential and not intentions which matters." Russia said earlier that it had received written proposals from the U.S. Lavrov had called verbal proposals of confidence-building measures outlined earlier in the week "pretty serious and interesting".

U.S. "reassures Russia on shield"

The comments came after high level bilateral discussions in Moscow.

Russia has opposed U.S. plans to establish missile defense installations in two central European countries.

These currently include some interceptor missiles in Poland and an associated radar facility in the Czech Republic.

The U.S. says these are needed to counter a potential threat from Iran, though Moscow fears they could be used against Russia.

Building trust

Lavrov and other Russian officials have been discussing the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Moscow this week.

"The American side is ready to offer us an entire series of trust-building measures so that we become convinced that their system isn't working against us," Lavrov was quoted as saying on Izvestiya's website.

"Its meaning is as follows: we will be able to see what the radar is doing and what the real condition of the interceptors' base is - involving both human factor and technical means."

The Russian foreign minister struck a cautiously positive note after the bilateral talks had failed to produce a visible breakthrough.

"The missile defense issue has been decided in Washington and our attitude to that is well-known: this step would further erode strategic stability in the world," Lavrov said.

"At this stage we have managed to make the Americans acknowledge that our concerns aren't unfounded."

"They are continuing to persuade us that they have no intention to use these bases in Poland and the Czech Republic against us, but they have to accept our argument as well - in such things it's the potential and not intentions which matters."

Russia said earlier that it had received written proposals from the U.S.

Lavrov had called verbal proposals of confidence-building measures outlined earlier in the week "pretty serious and interesting".