NATO tells Russia to send experts to Poland, check shield

“When there are missiles at our borders, it is already a threat,” Mironov said.

But Scheffer insisted that deploying elements of missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic represented no danger to Russia.

“A dialogue between Russia and the United States on the problem of the proposed deployment of elements of the US missile defence system in Europe is a matter of great importance,” he said the same day, at a press conference in St Petersburg on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the NATO-Russia Council.

Scheffer said Russian President Vladimir Putin would discuss the issue with his US counterpart George W Bush during his visit to the US on July 1-2.

He added that NATO was aware of Russia’s concern over the planned deployment of the national missile shield in Europe and was ready for a dialogue, pointing out Russia and NATO had “common interests, including in non-proliferation”. “A discussion of these issues must be launched instead of just saying ‘No’,” he said.

Scheffer also said he did not expect a quick solution to Russia’s concerns over the Western alliance’s enlargement. Moscow has opposed the expansion of NATO near Russia and the continued emergence of new NATO bases along its borders.