Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend I.Alizade / The representative of the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyid Mahammadali Huseyni , said at a press-conference in Tehran that Iran attentively follows the discussions over the Russian President's proposal to jointly use the Russian-leased Azerbaijan Gabala Radar Station with the US.
He stressed that establishing a missile buffer in Europe is forwarded towards the efforts of the USA to become hegemony in the continent and strengthen its image.
"Several politicians consider that this plan aims to outrun the missiles of China and Russia. To prevent it, Russia involves Azerbaijan, Iraq and Turkey. We are considering and following the discussions over this issue," Huseyni said.
He stressed that during bilateral talks with Russia, discussions will be held over the reasons of appearance of such issues.
On the 7th of June, as a result of the meeting with US President George Bush, within the G-8 summit in Heiligendamm , Germany, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin , highlighted his proposal to jointly use the Russian-leased Azerbaijan Gabala Radar Station with the US. Russia made such a proposal to keep the USA from establishing a missile-defense system in Poland and Romania.
Russia leases the Gabala Radio Radar Station in Azerbaijan. The station is part of the Russian system tracking movement of the ballistic missiles. The station was constructed during the rule of the former Soviet Union as one of the significant elements of the anti-missile system of the USSR. After Azerbaijan regained its independence and owned the station, Russia offered to use it. A ten-year agreement to rent the station was signed in 2002.