Washington has encouraged Russia’s military technicians to track its AMD missile launches in spring 2012.
Russian military specialists have been invited to the headquarters of the Missile Defense Agency in Colorado Springs, a NATO diplomat told the Kommersant newspaper.
The experts will be able to observe all the tests of the US missile defense system and study its technical parameters, using their own equipment.
In this way, the source stressed, the US is attempting to demonstrate that its missile shield plans in Europe are not directed against Russia.
There can be even two Russian monitoring missions to the US, Kommersant quoted anonymous sources as saying.
The first one would be to Colorado Springs, where the Russian delegation, led by Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov, would observe the work of the Missile Defense Agency and the capacities of the deployed missile defense network.
The second mission could be much more important, as Russian specialists would be able to witness the testing of radar stations and interceptor missiles on the Pacific coast.
Moscow, however, is reportedly dissatisfied with the terms of the visit. Defense officials say they would rather sign a new document stipulating that the US will not direct its European missiles at Russia.
“We do not quite believe in the results of these tests,” a source close to the Russian Defense Ministry told Kommersant. “Our specialists can measure the parameters, but who will guarantee that they do not change in the future as the Americans upgrade the prototype they are testing?”
Source: RT
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