Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr K. Ramazanova / The United States suggests uniting of all means in anti-missile defence policy, the US Assistant Secretary of State on European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried said at a press conference on 5 November.
"The United States wants to cooperate with Russia in missile defence policy and suggests joining of all means to strengthen the security," he said.
According to Fried, whether to participate in the union or not is the right of Azerbaijan, for Russia offered the United States to jointly exploit Azerbaijani Gabala radar station.
"In case Azerbaijan wants to be involved, the United States will consult with the country," he said.
Within the framework of the G-8 summit on 7 June 2007, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, offered US joint exploitation of Gabala Radar Station. He noted the advantage of deployment of Anti-Missile Defence (AMD) elements in Azerbaijan rather in Poland and the Czech Republic. Putin indicated that Gabala Radar Station will enable detection and crack down on rival missiles in the first section of boost trajectory. The remains of the missiles will fall not on European cities but into the sea, which is of great importance, Putin stressed.
Gabala radar station situated in the north-west of Azerbaijan was built in the USSR as an important element of the Soviet anti-missile defence system. The 10-year agreement on leasing of the station was signed in 2002.
The United States still continues the negotiations with the Check Republic and Poland on deployment of missile shield elements in their territory.