Article Posted on : - Sep 24, 2009

File photo.

NEW YORK (BNS): Hailing the US’ decision to scrap plans for deploying an Eastern Europe-based missile defence shield, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said that his country will continue its missile defence cooperation with the US.

“We are ready to continue working in this direction with our US and European colleagues,” Medvedev was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti after talks with his US counterpart Barack Obama here on Thursday.

The Obama administration last week decided to abandon a plan of the previous Bush regime to deploy radars and strategic missile interceptors in the Czech Republic and Poland.

The plan, meant to counter potential strikes from Iran, was a constant bickering point in Russia-US ties.

Terming the decision as “sensible”, Medvedev, while addressing the 64th UN General Assembly session here, said the shift in the US missile plans was “a constructive step in the right direction, which deserved the positive response it had received from the international community.”

As per the new plan put forth by the Obama administration, land-based missile-defense shields will not be implemented before 2015, whereas sea-based defense shields will be operating in the Mediterranean Sea up to 2015.