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Russia, US Discuss Problems of Warning of Missile Attacks

MOSCOW, December 11 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov met with chairman of the U.S. United Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers on Wednesday to discuss problems regarding warning of missile attacks.

The talks were held in Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Region, at the commanding post of space missile troops, sources in the Russian Defence Ministry told Itar-Tass.

Ivanov and Myers considered the state of and prospects for the development of Russia-U.S. cooperation in such areas as early warning of a missile attack, actions on unauthorised launches of ballistic missiles and measures to complete the construction of a joint centre to exchange information on a space and missile situation.

The U.S. general is expected to familiarise himself with actions of duty officers at the commanding post while conducting a command and staff training to detect launches of ballistic missiles.

The general arrived in Russia on a working visit on December 9. The goal of his visit is to discuss the state of and prospects for the development of military cooperation between the two countries, including in the fight against international terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said as part of his September visit to Washington: "These two topics are those threats to which Russia and the U.S. will pay special attention in security cooperation in the near future".

Ivanov praised current relations between the Russian Defence Ministry and the U.S. Defence Department. "Bilateral relations are reaching a qualitatively new level, primarily in the fields of mutual interest," Ivanov said on the eve of his talks with Myers. "It is necessary to fill these fields with concrete substance," he added.

The minister noted the dynamic development of contacts between the military agencies of the two countries. To this end, Ivanov said, "It is necessary to counteract the threats and challenges: We maintain good interaction as part of the counter-terrorist operation in Afghanistan".

Myers called for strengthening cooperation with the Russian Defence Ministry in order to confront the existing challenges. He stressed the need to continue fruitful relations in order to solve all problems successfully.

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