The United States this week submitted a new offer intended to ease Russian concerns about Bush administration plans to deploy missile defenses in Europe, the Wall Street Journal reported (see GSN, Nov. 6).
Tensions mounted this week after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced his intention to deploy short-range missiles near the Polish border. U.S. plans call for deploying 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar facility in the Czech Republic.
The new U.S. proposal would give Russian officials even more access to the U.S. facilities than previously offered, said acting Undersecretary of State John Rood. The hope is that Russian observers could confirm U.S. pledges that the sites would have no ability to threaten Moscow's strategic deterrent.
Rood said he would travel to Moscow this month to discuss the new offer.
"We remain hopeful that we can find a solution," he told reporters yesterday (Jay Solomon, Wall Street Journal, Nov. 7).