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International conference â€œMissile Defense Factor in Forming a New Security Spaceâ€ kicks off in Moscow â€“ PHOTO

International conference â€œMissile Defense Factor in Forming a New Security Spaceâ€ kicks off in Moscow â€“ <font color=red>PHOTO </font>

03 May 2012 12:46 (UTC +04:00)

Moscow. Farid Akbarov â€“ APA. The international conference named â€œMissile Defense Factor in Forming a New Security Spaceâ€ has kicked off in Moscow. APAâ€™s Moscow correspondent reports that Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General Nikolai Makarov, NATOâ€™s high-ranking officials and delegations from 50 countries participate in the conference organized by Russian Defense Ministry.

APA reports quoting RIA Novosti that in his speech, Serdyukov said that Russia and NATO remain at loggerheads over a U.S.-led project to build a missile shield in Europe. Russia and NATO agreed on cooperation in Lisbon Summit 2010, but the talks deadlocked because the US doesnâ€™t give legal guarantee that it will not use missile defense system against Russia.

â€œThere is a dilemma facing our countries now,â€ Serdyukov said. â€œEither we pass this test of cooperation and respond together to new missile challenges and threats, or we will be forced to undertake the necessary military measures.â€

But Russia and the U.S. can still reach an agreement, he said.

â€œRecently there has been more talk that an agreement on missile defense can be reached in principle. We agree with this thesis,â€ he said.

Secretary of Russiaâ€™s Security Council Nikolai Patrushev delivered a speech at the conference. He conveyed greetings of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to the participants. He said that the establishment of joint anti-missile defense system by Russia and NATO was an optimum alternative: â€œThe establishment of joint system will strengthen the security of the continentâ€.