Russia hints is ready to move missiles to EU border

Russia hinted on Wednesday it may station missiles in its most westerly region bordering EU members Poland and Lithuania, if the United States does not cooperate over plans for a European missile shield.

At a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed an expanded plan for missile defense cooperation that would involve Russia and NATO sharing data about missile launches from "rogue states."

Putin said his proposal would remove the need for the United States to proceed with its plan to locate elements of a planned missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.

On Wednesday Russia`s First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov appeared to suggest that if the United States accepted the plan then Russia would not place missiles in its most westerly province of Kaliningrad.

"If our proposals are accepted, the need will disappear for Russia to deploy new missile weapons in the European part of the country, including in Kaliningrad Region," Interfax news agency quoted Ivanov as saying during a trip to former Soviet Uzbekistan.

Kaliningrad lies on the Baltic Sea coast and is surrounded by Lithuania and Poland. It is not connected by land to the rest of Russia and the city of Kaliningrad is far closer to Warsaw than to Moscow.

Ivanov, who is in overall charge of Russia`s defense sector and a leading candidates to become the country`s next president, did not elaborate on this statement.

The Kremlin has said it would aim missiles at European countries if the U.S. missile shield, which it considers a threat, goes ahead.

Washington says the shield is needed to protect from possible missile attacks from states such as North Korea and Iran.

Bush said he would study the Russian proposals, calling them "very innovative." But he insisted the anti-missile system must still be based in eastern Europe.

Ivanov said Russia would take all steps to ensure its security if Washington rebuffs its offer of cooperation on missile defense.

"If our proposals are not accepted -- and I cannot rule that out -- Russia will continue to persistently and patiently explain its position on this issue," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Ivanov as saying.

sections: Politics