Russian defence chief offers know-how for European missile shield

"We have everything necessary, from test ranges to scientific resources and research facilities," Interfax news agency quoted Sergeyev as saying in the Russian capital.

Russia's readiness to share its military capabilities depended on whether the nations of Europe want to be part of such a project, he said.

"If we can agree with our European partners, I believe we can realise everything we have envisaged and proposed," Sergeyev said.

President Vladimir Putin first raised the idea of joint Russian-European anti-missile defences last year but drew a detached response from NATO.

Sergeyev on Tuesday passed draft plans for the defences to NATO Secretary-General George Robertson during talks in Moscow.

Russia says it is not trying to drive a wedge between the United States and the European members of NATO, but the Euro-shield proposal is seen as a counterbalance to Washington's own controversial plans for new missile defences.

Moscow opposes the U.S. measure, warning that it can spark a new arms race.

The so-far unpublished Russian plans for a European anti-missile system consist of several elements that can be assembled anywhere in the continent to counter a specific threat of attack from outside.

One element of the shield could be the new Russian S-300 anti-missile system, Sergeyev said. Russian proposals for a "non-strategic" system conform fully with the terms of the 1972 anti-ballistic missile (ABM) treaty between Washington and Moscow, he stressed, and "will enable the preservation of the entire system of strategic agreements".

The NATO delegation led by Robertson said Tuesday that the alliance will hold judgement of the proposals "until we know more".

Putin said the Russian side is willing to present the shield plan in detail to the NATO command in Brussels in the near future. dpa ch na bw

(bb/dpa)