Even if the USA accepts Russian President's proposal on joint use of the Russian-leased Azerbaijan Gabala Radar Station with the US, the missile threats by Iran will not become extinct, said the Director of the US Missile Defense Agency, Henry Obering. "If we go to compromise with Russia, then we will face missile threats from Iran," he expressed in his interview with Yomiuri newspaper published on 15 June.
In addition, he justified the proposal of the Russian side as high rate of friendly step.
According to Obering, it was decided to establish missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland to study the possible flights of the Iranian ballistic missiles of long distance, which is being created by Tehran. The US military people consider this system as 'optimal'. The works are planned to be completed in 2011-2013. "We will not ask for consent and permit of Russia," he said.
In addition, Obering stressed that presently the USA is studying the possibility to use Azerbaijan-based Gabala RS as an element of the established missile defense system. According to him, Azerbaijan-based Gabala RS is able to observe, but unable to avoid the threat. However, geographically this station is located near Iran and the exchange of information whilst discovering start of flight may be useful for the US military people, RIA Novosti reports.
"If Russia joins and we can jointly use established missile defense system, it will be a strong message to the address of Iran and People's Democratic Republic of Korea," Obering considers.
On 8 June, as a result of the meeting with US President George Bush, within the G-8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, Putin highlighted his proposal to jointly use the Russian-leased Azerbaijan Gabala Radar Station with the US. In response to the plans of the US to establish missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, the Russian President highlighted the key advantage of such an approach: the system will be in maximum proximity to the object being tracked and observed.
In his turn, the US President, George Bush, said that the USA and Russia reached an agreement to hold political dialogue on problem of missile-defense system.