Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr K. Ramazanova / The Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasiliy Istratov does not rule out continuation of the negotiations between Russia and the United States on joint exploitation of the Azerbaijani Gabala radar station.
"I am not informed of the United States' written reply to Russia's offer regarding deployment of missile shield in Europe, but I think the issue on joint exploitation of the Gabala radar station may be considered closed. We are still discussing the issue with the United States," Istratov said to Trend on 7 December.
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said to journalists on 5 December that Russia was disappointed with the United States' written reply to Russia's offer on deployment of missile shield in Europe. He noted that the United States backtracked on what they had previously said to Russia.
The United States plan to deploy missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland in order to prevent attack from the 'evil area' to which Washington refers Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Moscow considers the United States' arguments to be unconvincing and regards deployment of the missile shield elements near to the Russian borders as a threat to its national security.
Russia offers the United States to jointly use the Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan for missile shield purposes, as well as the radar station being constructed in Armavir, Russia, instead of deploying missile shield elements in Poland and the Czech Republic.
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 issue on Gabala radar station was repeatedly debated. At the beginning of 2006, Azerbaijan suggested doubling the rent fees for the station from $7mln to $14.4mln a year.