It is up to the Russians to show they are not pursuing a "sham game" to thwart US efforts to establish missile defense sites in Europe, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Sunday.
"My view is we've put a lot on the table" in recent negotiations, Gates told reporters flying with him to Moscow, where he was to be joined by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "Now it's time for them to reciprocate."
Gates and Rice were to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and new president-elect Dmitry Medvedev yesterday in advance of daylong talks today with the Russian defense and foreign ministers.
PHOTO: AP
NEW EFFORT
The sessions come five months after a similar engagement in Moscow that produced no discernible progress toward an agreement between the countries.
Gates said he and Rice were bringing no new missile defense proposals to the talks, which would cover a wide range of topics, including cooperation against terrorism, future arms control talks and economic relations.
Gates indicated he was not particularly optimistic about the chances of a breakthrough on missile defense.
"We think there is the potential for some progress and we'll just see," he said. "I wouldn't get too enthusiastic at this point."
In the in-flight interview, Gates was asked whether he thinks the Russians genuinely object to US missile defense sites in Europe on security grounds, as they have insisted for months.
"Truth is, I don't really know," he said. "I don't know whether there are genuine concerns on the part of the Russians that we can allay and where we can be partners," or whether their counterproposals for sharing radars and other suggestions are "all basically a stalling exercise" by the Russians.
"At some point the Russians are going to have to decide whether they want to be true partners -- which we're offering -- or whether this is all just a sham game on their part to [put an end to] the whole deal," Gates said.
The administration US President George W. Bush is negotiating with Poland to establish a base there for 10 missile interceptors. They would be linked to a radar site in the Czech Republic, if the Czech government agrees. The system would be part of a wider network of interceptors, radars and communications sites in the US and elsewhere for defending the US and its allies against long-range missiles.
PROPOSAL
In their meetings in October, Gates and Rice said the Bush administration would consider delaying activation of the sites in Poland and the Czech Republic until evidence is in hand regarding Iran's development of a ballistic missile capable of reaching Europe and beyond.
The Russians have not accepted that proposal.
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