Article Posted on : - Mar 20, 2009

File photo of a Patriot launch. Raytheon image

MOSCOW (BNS): There is ample possibility for Russia and the United States to reach an agreement on missile defence, Andrei Nesterenko, official of the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Nesterenko said: “In theory, there is every opportunity to agree on the missile defence issue.”

The Russian official said that Moscow welcomed the Czech Republic’s decision to put off a vote in parliament on the ratification of a deal to place radar on its soil as part of the US missile shield.

“We believe this decision reflects prevailing public opinion in the country,” Nesterenko was quoted by Russian news agency RIA Novosti as saying.

The US has blamed Iran’s controversial nuclear programme as one of the reasons for deploying a missile base in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic. Russia has always opposed the missile shield calling it a threat to its national security. This dispute has strained relations between Washington and Moscow.

The United States and West has always suspected Iran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons, while it has claimed that it is aimed at generating electricity. Recently, officials in Moscow had expressed hope that the new administration would look into the missile shield plan before implementing it.