Gabala radar station is potential priority for U.S.-Russia missile defense cooperation: U.S. senator

"Data from the Gabala radar station would be useful to the United States as a supplement to U.S. existing radar capabilities for all ranges of missile defense," the senator said.

This issue was added to the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010" bill which has been put on the next agenda of the U.S. Congress.

The document Number S.1390 includes a report on potential missile defense cooperation between the U.S. and Russia on multiple military facilities.

The report particularly addresses "a description of options for sharing by such countries and organization of ballistic missile surveillance or early warning data, including data from the Russian early warning radars at Gabala in Azerbaijan and Armavir in southern Russia or other radars, such as the United States radar proposed for deployment in the Czech Republic".

At the G8 summit in 2007, Moscow offered the U.S. joint use of the Gabala radar in Azerbaijan, as well as the Armavir station, being constructed in southern Russia to prevent missile launches.

The Gabala radar station, located in north-western Azerbaijan, was built during the Soviet times as one of the most important elements of the USSR missile defense system. After Azerbaijan gained independence and owned the radar station, Russia continued to use the station, despite all upheavals in Azerbaijan's political life.

Levin said cooperation between two countries within NATO (cooperative regional missile defense architectures, joint exercises, and transparency and confidence building measures) is shown as another potential direction of U.S.-Russia military ties.

Senator pointed out that U.S.-Russian cooperation on missile defense against Iranian missiles "even if we were simply to begin serious discussions on the subject - would send a powerful signal to Iran".

"Iran would face in a dramatic way a growing unity against its pursuit of dangerous nuclear technology," Senator Levin added.

The U.S. and other Western countries accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the guise of peaceful nuclear energy program. The UN Security Council adopted five resolutions, three of which are resolutions imposing sanctions, requiring cancellation of enrichment of uranium, and two resolutions containing warnings.

Tehran rejects the charges stating that its nuclear program is aimed solely at meeting the country's energy needs.

Levin added that given the disagreement between the United States and Russia over the proposed deployment of U.S. missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic, it might seem that there is no realistic chance for missile defense cooperation.

"However, this is a case where security of each nation would be enhanced if we could find a cooperative path to address Iran's missile capabilities. Since we have a mutual security interest in addressing a shared security challenge, surely it is worth the effort to try," the Michigan senator said.

/Trend News/