US: Russia should be 'equal partners' in missile defence

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

TOYAKO, Japan (AFP) — The United States said Wednesday that Russia and Europe should be "equal partners" in its planned missile defence, after Moscow threatened to react militarily to any deployment near its borders.

"We seek strategic cooperation on preventing missiles from rogue nations like Iran from threatening our friends and allies," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe. "We will continue to have a dialogue with the Russians."

"We want to design a system between the United States, Russia and Europe, with everyone participating as equal partners," Johndroe said on the margins of a rich nations summit at this mountain resort in northern Japan.

US President George W. Bush and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev clashed on the controversial missile...