Last Friday U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview with CNBC television channel that the United States was not in favor of the Russian proposals, and will continue with its plans to deploy an antimissile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.
In an interview published on the United Russia pro-presidential political party's Web site, Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the State Duma International Affairs Committee, said "at the current stage this statement was made not in the context of Russia-American talks, but rather in the context of U.S. internal politics."
In an initial response to the U.S. move, Moscow threatened to point Russian warheads at Europe and pull out of a conventional arms reduction treaty, the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE), but seemingly softened its stance when Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed at a Group of Eight leading industrialized nations summit in Germany jointly use of the Gabala radar in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan.
The senator said that U.S. Congress, which is heavily influenced by the Democratic Party, has repeatedly raised doubts about the expediency of plans to deploy the missile shield in Central Europe.
"Moreover, we have information that this Wednesday the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services will hold a session and as experts predict it is highly likely the session will decide to freeze project funds for the deployment of a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic," Kosachyov said.
He said that under such circumstances it would be a painful defeat for the Bush administration, which is trying to demonstrate its confidence and drive.
"That is why I consider Condoleezza Rice's statement sad, because it was made before experts had even started their work," the senator said.
During his informal talks with George W. Bush last week Monday, President Putin proposed that the United States jointly use a radar being built in southern Russia, in addition to the early warning facility in Gabala.
