MOSCOW, June 30 (RIA Novosti) - It is unrealistic to expect the U.S. to scrap its missile-defense plans for Europe, but this does not mean the end of a possible strategic arms reductions deal, a Russian arms expert said on Tuesday.
Pavel Zolotaryov, deputy director of the Institute of North American Studies, said the current U.S. administration could not afford to review its missile-defense plans even if it wanted to, as any backtracking would see it "devoured by the domestic opposition."
He also said a top-level framework agreement setting out the basic parameters for a new arms deal would greatly facilitate progress toward Moscow's ultimate goal of a nuclear-free world.
The Russian foreign minister said earlier on Tuesday that Moscow hoped progress would be made on both missile defense and strategic arms cuts during U.S. President Barack Obama's July 6-8 visit to the Russian capital.
Sergei Lavrov said that Russian-U.S. ties had received a boost over the past few months, while relations between the two countries "have entered a period of change." He also said that Obama's visit to Russia would become "a landmark" in improving relations.
The chief of the Russian military's General Staff said on Friday that a Russian-U.S. military cooperation agreement would be signed during Obama's visit.
Army Gen. Nikolai Makarov said a draft had been finalized with Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was on a three-day visit to Russia.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said that any strategic arms cuts will only be possible if the United States eases Russia's concerns over Washington's plans for a missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland.
The U.S. military recently reiterated its commitment to missile defense, citing a growing threat from North Korea and Iran, but suggested plans for a European site may change.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates suggested that Russian facilities could be part of the missile defense system, but Moscow has rejected this idea, saying there could be no partnership "in building facilities that are essentially designed to counter Russia's strategic deterrence forces."
