Russia ponders ABM treaty change

MOSCOW, Russia -- Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov says Russia might consider changes to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty.

However, he said Russia was still opposed to the planned deployment of a missile defence system by the United States.

In an interview with the Interfax news agency, carried by The Associated Press, Ivanov said that "theoretically, I do not exclude the possibility" of modifying the ABM treaty.

"When I say theoretically, I mean we must clearly understand what missile defence is being conceived by the United States and what technical possibilities in air, sea, ground and space fields are envisaged," Ivanov was quoted as saying.

IN-DEPTH Missile defense: Europe's view   •  U.S., Europe tension   •  Plan sparks Europe fears   •  Q&A: Missile defense   •  Text of ABM treaty   •  How system would work   •  Missile defence in action

"Along with thresholds of nuclear weapons cuts, those are exactly the questions for which we still cannot receive answers from the American side," Ivanov said.

Russia has been willing to negotiate deeper cuts in nuclear arsenals, while still remaining adamantly opposed to the U.S. plans.

However, Washington has said it needs to complete a review of how many nuclear weapons the U.S. needs before discussing specific figures.

Presidents George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in Texas in November, by which time observers hope Moscow might have softened its stance. But Russian officials remain firmly opposed to a national missile shield.

Prior to their summit at Bush's ranch, the two leaders are due to meet on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific economic summit in Shanghai, China, in October.

A statement from the Kremlin said the presidents had discussed preparations for the meeting in a telephone conversation earlier Monday.

"They expressed satisfaction with the dynamics of the development of bilateral relations and the intensity of contacts in the military-political, economic and other fields that have taken place on various levels," the statement said.

U.S. Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith is due to outline U.S. plans at his talks in Moscow on Tuesday with the deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, Yuri Baluyevsky.

Ivanov, speaking on a trip to Astrakhan in southern Russia, said he expected the talks to "bring new proposals."

He said the Russian-U.S. consultations would continue later this month in his meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and in talks between Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.

On Sunday Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, said Washington would make an offer to Moscow and "we hope it's an offer they can't refuse."

Ivanov said it reminded him of Al Capone: "It's much easier to convince people with a pistol and a nice smile, than without a pistol."

Russia has staunchly opposed the U.S. intention to build a national defence against ballistic missiles, saying such a missile shield would tilt the military balance in the U.S.'s favour and trigger a new arms race.

The ABM treaty barred national missile defence on the assumption that the fear of mutual destruction would discourage both nations from launching a first strike.

Russia has rejected U.S. arguments that the planned missile defence, intended to deal with threats from such nations as North Korea, is not capable of deterring a massive strike of the kind Russia is capable of launching.