Russia and NATO began talks in Brussels on Thursday on the creation of European anti-missile defense.

NATO and Russia agreed to cooperate on the missile defense project at a summit in November 2010. The parties agreed to formulate terms for missile defense cooperation by June 2011.

"These talks are very important and should lay the groundwork for determining the scope of possible cooperation in the European missile defense project," Russia's ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday.

Moscow insists on setting up a joint European missile defense network with NATO to ensure that the planned placement of elements of a U.S. missile defense system in a number of European countries will not threaten Russia's national security.

NATO, however, proposes creating two separate systems that would exchange information.

BRUSSELS, February, 10 (RIA Novosti)