Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Russia, NATO to Approve Blueprint on AMD Cooperation

Russia, NATO to  Approve Blueprint on AMD Cooperation

MOSCOW - Russia and NATO may approve a document for bilateral cooperation on anti-missile defense (AMD) system in June, a senior official said Monday. In a video press conference, Russia's envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said the next defense ministers' meeting of the Russia-NATO Council was slated for June 9, when the political principles of the cooperation would be discussed.

"European AMD is a chance for Russia and NATO to receive a common business in the joint defense issues," Rogozin said. The diplomat also stressed NATO and Russia should abandon military planning against each other while drafting the common European AMD framework. According to Rogozin, representatives from Russia and NATO have already managed to add the issue of non-targeting military planning against each other into the June meeting's agenda.

Moscow has long opposed the deployment of NATO missile defense facilities near its borders, saying they would be a security threat to the country and upset the strategic balance of force in Europe. Russia agreed to cooperate with NATO's new missile defense program in November. Also in the conference, Rogozin called on NATO to be responsible to the UN Security Council for its operations in Libya and warned NATO's participation in the Northern African country may complicate the alliance's cooperation with Moscow.

Different approaches to the political turmoil in Libya have been a major point of discord between Russia and NATO, Rogozin said, adding that "a serious political crisis inside the European Union has been looming." (Xinhua)