Russia, US to resume missile defence dialogue

Russia expects to resume the missile defense dialogue with the United States, but needs to verify the latter's sincerity to address Russia's concerns over the issue, a high-ranking defense official said Tuesday.On the sidelines of a Monday meeting between the visiting U.S. National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, the two sides discussed the "possibility and expediency of a meeting in Brussels on April 30, backed by military delegations," Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters."The U.S. colleagues are expected to elaborate on the changes in the U.S. plans in the area of missile defense, namely their giving up the 4th phase of deploying the missile defense system in Europe," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Antonov as saying.The official said the U.S. side's readiness to resume the missile defense dialogue "is viewed positively by our side."Meanwhile, Moscow had to verify Pentagon's real intention. "Russia needs not the words of assurance but concrete, clear and understandable guarantees that the U.S. missile defense system is not aimed at Russian nuclear deterrence forces," Antonov said.He noted the key point was that such guarantees should be legally binding and contain certain military and technical criteria of U.S. missile defense system.