March 12, 2009 - 21:40 AMT
Russia, U.S. can agree in joint use of Gabala radar
Russia and U.S. have a chance to agree on joint exploitation of Gabalin Radar in Azerbaijan to establish an Anti Missile Defense System, said Leonid Slucki, the 1st deputy chairman of State Duma(Assembly) on International Affairs. "Quite possible that presidents Obama and Medvedev will come to a consensus on the issue of Gabalin Radar" and this will be a new step in Russia and U.S.relation,"Slucki said.

In his opinion the exploitation of Gabalin Radar is more logical from the military and technical point of view than the American Anti Missile Defense in Eastern Europe. The deputy did not deny that the U.S. may be considering such possibility and reminded that Azerbaijan had already given its consent to use the radar. Under the conditions of the world financial crisis the Anti Missile Defense System in Europe is not a "very reasonable" idea, he said , reports RIA-Novosti.

Moscow proposed to exploit Russian radars in Gabal as well as in Armavir in return to American percussion means in Poland and the radars in the Czech Republic. The U.S. plans to install Anti Missile Defense System in Europe by 2013 under pretence of defense from the supposed missile threat by Iran.