ULAN BATOR, August 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and the U.S. have yet to decide on where to place a joint control point to observe rocket launches by foreign countries, Russia's chief of staff said on Wednesday.
During his visit to Moscow in July, U.S. President Barack Obama discussed with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issues relating to the development of anti-rocket systems, and began talks on creating a joint "Center for Information Exchange," which would inform both countries of rocket launches throughout the world.
"The issue of creating a joint control point to observe rocket launches and to inform one another of unsanctioned launches is being discussed," Gen. Nikolai Makarov told a news conference in Mongolia's capital.
He said the center would allow both countries to inform each other of rocket launches, which country is launching them, and of the threat posed by them.
The two countries have been discussing the creation of such a center since 2000, but have not yet decided on where the center should be located, although Moscow has not been ruled out.
"We haven't set a date [to create the center]. We need to decide on the location, and then we will talk about a date," he said.
Markov said the two countries still need to work on building bilateral trust in military issues before such a center becomes fully functional, including in relation to submarine patrols and warship activities on the open seas.
"The questions we have placed before us should relax and eliminate suspicions that have built up between us over the past few years," he said.
