Russia stands ready to discuss with the United States revised proposals for its missile defense system in Eastern Europe, a spokesman for Russian prime minister said on Friday.
"If the United States somehow reviews its original plan on deploying this shield in Europe or if we actually receive some concrete counteroffer from the United States, which takes into account Moscow's interests, then we will view this as an excellent sign, as this is what we have been talking about from the very start," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the Voice of Russia radio.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday invited Russia to join Washington's plan to deploy a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, indicating that the Obama administration might not drop the Bush-era plan.
Former U.S. administration of George W. Bush planned to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic which it claimed to protect its European allies from missile threat by "rouge state."
Moscow strongly opposes the plans, saying the move poses a threat to its security. Top Russian officials have repeatedly expressed their hope that U.S. President Barack Obama will not continue his predecessor's missile defense plans.
(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2009)