Deputy head of the Yabloko faction Sergei Ivanenko approves of the President Putin-s proposal to the USA on the joint creation of an anti-missile defence system.

In an interview on June 2, Sergei Ivanenko reminded the press that the leader of the Yabloko faction, Grigory Yavlinsky, in response to the US position on an anti-missile defence system, had proposed that Moscow jointly create with other European countries a European anti-missile umbrella.

Ivanenko also stressed that the proposal of the head of the Russian state is ?especially important for the Russian military-industrial complex, as it is common knowledge that our missile complex is the best in the world.

Ivanenko also said that if Putin's initiative is implemented and a corresponding decision of the heads of both the countries is adopted, then ?both Russia and the USA and, consequently, the whole world, would gain¦ from this.

Based on Interfax reports

Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Vladimir Lukin (from the Yabloko faction) thinks that the best solution would be to begin negotiations between the five nuclear superpowers v the USA, Russia, France, Great Britain and China.

They would have to sit at the negotiating table and seriously discuss the potential creation of an anti-missile defence system, said Vladimir Lukin.

In an interview with the press on June 2, 2000, Lukin also expressed his view that President Putin-s proposal on the creation of a joint anti-missile defence system may only receive an answer after the presidential elections in the US.

For our part the desire to participate in the resolution of this problem is obvious, as the first person in country, the President of Russia, came out with this initiative, said Lukin. As regards the answer of the American side, Lukin thinks that we can-t expect to receive a positive answer until the presidential elections in the US in November have taken place.

Lukin also called the initiative of the President Putin more sensible and realistic than the proposal on a national anti-missile defence system advocated by the USA. Lukin also reminded the press that such ideas had been proposed earlier, in particular, when the creation of a single European anti-missile defence system was in doubt. Certainly, it is impossible to exclude the USA from this system, said Lukin.

Based on Interfax reports.

See also:

Sergei Ivanenko approves of the presidential initiative to create an anti-missile umbrella nuclear shield jointly with the USA