U.S., Russia Unlikely to Cooperate on Missile Defense, Experts Say

WASHINGTON -- A number of political and security concerns make cooperation between the United States and Russia on missile defense unlikely, experts said this week (see GSN, Aug. 21).

"Politically it's going to be very, very difficult" due to distrust by Russian military leaders of their U.S. counterparts and other "bad atmospherics," Mikhail Tsypkin, an associate professor at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, said Tuesday during a panel discussion at the Hudson Institute.

The Bush administration plan to permanently install 10 ground-based interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic has become a major point of contention between Washington and Moscow. The plan -- which U.S. officials argue is intended to defeat Iran's burgeoning long-range missile capabilities -- is under review. However, the Kremlin has argued that the system would pose a threat to its strategic security.

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