US Open to Discussing Missile Defense Cooperation With Russia

In 2002, the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, signed with the then Soviet Union in 1972, that limited the number and locations of both countries' ABM sites. Later Washington significantly expanded the development and the number of its missile defense systems in Central and Eastern Europe.

Washington would be open to the idea of discussing missile defense cooperation with Moscow at some point in the future, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller said in an interview, published on Wednesday.

"As for the question on whether we can make an agreement on missile defense cooperation in the future, I hope that we can," Gottemoeller told Russia's Kommersant newspaper.

But, she added, in the meantime the United States will continue to convince Russia that the US missile defense system is not targeted at Russia and does not threaten the country's strategic forces.

In 2002, the US withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty) with Russia. Under the terms of the treaty each party was limited to two ABM complexes. It also limited their locations, number and capabilities.

The United States' withdrawal from the treaty led to its termination. After that, the US readied a missile defense system in Europ. It includes interceptor missiles and radars in Europe, which are technically capable of responding to Russian ballistic missiles.

Moscow has assessed US moves as a threat and demands a solution which would guarantee the European missile defense system does not target Russia.

Moscow considers these plans a threat to its national security, warning that the US defense system undermines regional security.

However, Gottemoeller stressed US missile defense is not global in nature, and is limited to responding to a limited number of ballistic missiles from Iran and North Korea.  The limited capability of ballistic missile defense in Europe would have little value against Russia's massive nuclear weapons arsenal, Gottemoeller said.

Since last spring, the United States and NATO have temporarily suspended dialogue with Russia on the European missile shield in light of the worsening Ukrainian crisis, blamed on Russia by the West.

In April, during the Moscow International Security Conference, Russian high-profile military officials and diplomats, including Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, stated that US and NATO ABM systems and NATO activity in Eastern Europe undermines strategic stability.

Army General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of Russia's General Staff, said the deployment of the American ABM system is another step by the US and its allies to dismantle the current system of international security. He pointed out that in the past four years ABM systems have been deployed near Russia's western, eastern and southern borders.