MOSCOW. July 6 (Interfax-AVN) - Germany backs Russia's proposals for an alternative to the deployment of the U.S. anti-missile defense shield (NMD) in Europe, Bavarian Minister President Edmund Stoiber told reporters on the sidelines of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Thursday.
During the meeting, Putin informed Stoiber about his talks with U.S. President George Bush and about options for solving the problem of NMD deployment in Europe.
One option is the U.S. proposal to deploy NMD elements in Poland and the Czech Republic, which Moscow fears may worsen Russian-NATO relations, Stoiber said.
Another option is to tackle this problem within the framework of the Russia-NATO Council and to create two missile launch warning centers in Moscow and Brussels, Stoiber said.
Putin earlier suggested using a new radar in southern Russia and the Qabala radar in Azerbaijan to protect Europe from any possible missile attack.
Germany favors the second option, which would ensure protection for the whole of Europe, Stoiber said.