NATO will continue its dialogue with Russia on the establishment of a European missile defense system, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Sunday.
Rasmussen told journalists that he hopes Russia will agree to cooperate on the issue as such interaction is in mutual interests.
Russia and NATO agreed to cooperate on the so-called European missile defense system at the Lisbon summit in November 2010. NATO insists there should be two independent systems that exchange information, while Russia favors a joint system with full-scale interoperability.
Russia has retained staunch opposition to the planned deployment of U.S. missile defense systems near its borders, claiming they would be a security threat. NATO and the United States insist that the shield would defend NATO members against missiles from North Korea and Iran and would not be directed at Russia.
“NATO missile defense is not oriented against Russia nor does it have the capability to undermine Russia’s strategic deterrent. The Alliance, in a spirit of reciprocity, maximum transparency and mutual confidence, will actively seek cooperation on missile defense with Russia,” NATO said in its Deterrence and Defense Posture Review issued on Sunday.
