The US still refuses to give Russia legal guarantees on the European missile shield, expecting to reach verbal agreements, RIA Novosti reports.
US Assistant Secretary of State for control of weapons and international security Ellen Tauscher said that the US and Russia had agreed to hold regular consultations at least once a month on 13 topics, including armed forces in Europe, piracy, cyber security and anti-missile defenses. The missile problem has caused tensions for 30 years, she says.
The US official believes that Russia's critical statements are part of the electoral campaign and negotiations will be more fruitful after the presidential polls in Russia.
Tauscher said that the Congress would fail to ratify legal guarantees that the European missile shield would not be used against Russia. Legal guarantees have a different meaning nowadays, she said. They would mean that any succeeding administration would have to keep Barack Obama’s promises, which is impossible, Tauscher concludes.
