Agence France-Presse, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak held talks here Thursday on a Russian proposal that the United States modify its missile defense plans and instead make use of a radar in Azerbaijan.
After the talks Kislyak said that he had encountered a “deep” understanding on the part of his Azerbaijani counterpart Araz Azimov.
Azimov in turn said that his country expected to take part in missile defense consultations with Washington.
Russia has proposed that Washington use the Soviet-built Gabala radar in Azerbaijan as an alternative to a U.S. plan for a radar in the Czech Republic and linked interceptors in Poland. Moscow sees the U.S. plan as hostile.
Azerbaijan borders Iran, one of the countries that Washington says it needs to protect itself against.
Russian and U.S. experts are to meet in Washington next week for missile defense talks.
