Russia rules out co-op with U.S. on missile defense

    MOSCOW, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov on Thursday shrugged off possible cooperation with the United States on its missile defense system.

    "As for possible cooperation in strategic anti-missile defense, honestly speaking, I see no reasons for that," Ivanov, who served as defense minister before being promoted, told reporters in the Ural mountains city of Yekaterinburg, the Interfax news agency reported.   Full story

U.S. fails to convince Russia on missile shield in Europe

    BRUSSELS, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The United States failed on Thursday to convince Russia on Washington's plan to deploy missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe.

    "I would like to underscore that possible deployment of U.S. missile defense site in Europe is not something pleasant to us," Russian ambassador to NATO, Konstantin Totskiy, told reporters after a meeting with ambassadors from NATO countries and U.S. officials. Full story

Some 200 people demonstrate against U.S. radar base in Prague

     PRAGUE, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Some 200 people protested against the planned stationing of a U.S. radar base in the Czech Republic on Thursday.

    "The government has started negotiating (about the base) behind the backs of the people," Communist (KSCM) deputy Katerina Konecna, whose party organized the demonstration, said.  Full story

U.S. promotes anti-missile shield in Poland

    WARSAW, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The installation of the U.S. anti-missile defense system will protect Poland and the Czech Republic from possible threats from Iran, U.S. officials said here Wednesday.

    The U.S. proposal to install the shield in the two Eastern European countries gave rise to different reactions in Poland, which fears that the system may only protect the United States but not Poland.  Full story

Polish minister meets Russian ambassador on anti-missile shield

    WARSAW, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Polish Defense Minister Aleksander Szczyglo met here Tuesday with Russian Ambassador to Poland Vladimir Grinin to discuss the deployment in Poland of elements of the U.S. anti-missile shield.

    The minister told Polish PAP news agency that the "talk was held in a friendly climate."  Full story