Russia asks US to stop work on Europe shield

“We invite the US to jointly and competently assess everything and also to sort things out and achieve universal understanding,” he added. He warned that if Washington wanted to achieve stable security, then it should refrain from any action that affect the security of its partners.

Lavrov also expressed confidence that the information provided by the Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan will allow the US to drop

its plans for deployment of missile defence components in Europe.

The Foreign Minister stressed US plans to deploy elements of its missile defence system in Europe will seriously hamper efforts to solve the Iranian nuclear problem. Lavrov said experts were actively working to clarify all aspects fof Iran’s nuclear programme, including the UN. “Nobody has provided proof that the Iranian nuclear programme has a military dimension,” he said.

During his talks with US President George W Bush on the sidelines of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Putin had proposed the joint use of the Gabala radar base in the former Soviet republic, which Russia currently leases from Azerbaijan.

But in an interview on Friday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice appeared to throw cold water on Putin’s proposal, saying Washington would continue its talks with Poland and the Czech Republic on its missile shield plans regardless of whether negotiations begin on the Russian offer.