Russia Hopes for US Flexibility on Missile Defense Plan

Posted November 8th, 2012 at 12:45 pm (UTC-5)
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Russia says it expects the United States will show more flexibility in a dispute over U.S. missile defense plans following the re-election of President Barack Obama.

Speaking Thursday at an international conference in Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin expressed hope that the U.S. president will take into account the opinions of Russia and others regarding the configuration of NATO's missile defense.

In March, Mr. Obama, unaware he was speaking on an open microphone, told then-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more flexibility on the issue after the November election.

Russia and the United States have been deadlocked on negotiations on the missile defense plan, which the U.S. says is aimed at countering a possible missile threat from Iran.

Moscow says the missile shield would be capable of undermining Russia's nuclear deterrent. It is urging the U.S. to provide guarantees that any future configuration will not be aimed against Russia.

The U.S.- and NATO-backed plan calls for deploying a system of anti-missile interceptors based at sea on destroyers and cruisers and coupled with advanced land-based versions, some of which would be based in former Warsaw Pact countries.