国际英语新闻：Russia to continue contacts with West on missile defense cooperation

MOSCOW, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia will continue contacts with the United States and NATO on the issue of missile defense cooperation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Wednesday.

Commenting on the agenda of the upcoming Russia-NATO summit in Lisbon, Grushko said any possibilities of missile defense cooperation "will be discussed."

"NATO Secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen has put forth an initiative (on the creation of a joint missile defense system) and it is now being studied thoroughly," the diplomat told journalists on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference held here.

"We'll continue contacts with American partners and NATO countries on this issue in the short term," he added.

The minister said the first meeting of the Russia-NATO Council would focus on all spectra of challenges and threats, the fight against terrorism and counteraction against piracy.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced on Tuesday that he is going to attend the NATO summit in Lisbon on Nov. 20 to accommodate and develop dialogue between Russia and the transatlantic bloc.