Putin Urges US to Share Missile Defense Data

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Putin Urges US to Share Missile Defense Data
December 29, 2009
Associated Press

MOSCOW - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia wants the U.S. to share detailed data about its planned missile shield under a new arms control treaty, signaling potential new difficulties in the ongoing negotiations between Moscow and Washington.

Putin's televised remarks set a defiant tone as negotiators try to hammer out a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that expired on Dec. 5. The two countries had hoped to reach a deal before the end of the year, but problems persist.

Putin also said that Russia will build new weapons to offset the U.S. missile defense system.

The U.S. State Department rejected Putin's call, saying the START successor treaty would only deal with strategic offensive arms.

"While the United States has long agreed that there is a relationship between missile offense and defense, we believe the START follow-on agreement is not the appropriate vehicle for addressing it," spokesman Ian Kelly said in Washington.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/putin-urges-us-to-share-missile-defense-data.html?col=1186032307786