Putin Expands Missile Defense Proposal

Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday announced new components to his proposal for the U.S. missile defense system in Europe, the New York Times reported (see GSN, July 2).

Putin has been vocal in his opposition to Washington’s intent to place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic.  Last month, he proposed using a Soviet-era radar in Azerbaijan for the system rather than the new Czech installation.

At the end of his meeting with President George W. Bush in Maine, Putin yesterday said Russia would be willing to upgrade the Azerbaijan radar, and to add a separate early detection system in Russia and information-sharing locations in Moscow and Brussels.  The NATO-Russia Council would develop the system, the Times reported.

“In this case, there would be no need to place any more facilities in Europe — I mean, these facilities in Czech Republic and the missile base in Poland,” Putin said.

U.S. officials have already said that the Azeri site could complement but not replace their planned facilities.  They have argued that the equipment is outdated and the Azerbaijan is too close to Iran to allow for interception of Iranian missiles.

Bush appeared to maintain that argument.

“I think it’s innovative, I think it’s strategic,” he said of Putin’s proposal.  “But as I told Vladimir, I think that the Czech Republic and Poland need to be an integral part of the system.”

Putin’s new offer is “a minor modification” of his previous proposal and seemingly carries the same drawbacks, said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association.  Another expert called Putin’s continued proposals a good sign.

“We’re beyond the point where Putin shows up and says, ‘Over my dead body,’” said Julianne Smith of the Centers for Strategic and International Studies (Jim Rutenberg, New York Times, July 3).

Bush and Putin did agree on the need to include a greater number of European countries in talks on the missile defense system, the Los Angeles Times reported (Maura Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, July 3).

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