Russia suggests joint evaluation with U.S. on missile defense: official

MOSCOW, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russia has suggested starting with the United States soon a serious evaluation of the revised U.S. missile defense plan in Europe, a Foreign Ministry spokesman told a press briefing Thursday.

"We hope to start a thorough analysis of the existent and prospective missile threats together with the United States in the near future, just like the Russian and American presidents said in the joint missile defense statement," Andrei Nesterenko was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.

The spokesman was referring to the joint statement signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama in Moscow in July.

"We are scrutinizing the refreshed plan of U.S. missile defense in Europe. We expect the United Sates to deploy missile defense elements in Europe step by step, in keeping with the real missile threats," said Nesterenko.

Russia will closely watch the U.S. missile defense works in Europe, making sure it meets Russia's security interests, he added.

Last month, Obama announced that Washington would abandon a Bush-era missile defense shield program while initiating a "phased, adaptive approach" in Eastern Europe.

Based on the new program, the United States might deploy SM-3 tactical anti-ballistic missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic as early as 2015.

The U.S. Pentagon said the deployment of SM-3 missiles would be the most advanced and least expensive way to counter possible Iranian nuclear arsenals.

After meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Warsaw on Wednesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his country was ready to join the new mobile missile defense system.