Russia, NATO may cooperate on missile defense

MOSCOW - Moscow and NATO could cooperate on the missile defense in the future, US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said Monday.

"Yes, previously the relations between Russia and NATO used to be complicated. Don't compare what used to be and what it is currently. We work together," McFaul told reporters while visiting the Russian Far Eastern city of Vladivostok.

"We believe that some day in the future NATO and Russia might work together on the missile defense," said the US diplomat.

He added Russia and the North Atlantic military bloc jointed hands in fighting terrorism and piracy.

The ambassador said US President Barack Obama could visit Russia in 2013 regardless of the outcome of the November presidential election.

Obama skipped the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vladivostok because he was attending the Democratic Party's convention, McFaul said.

During the two-day summit, the United States was represented by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. According to McFaul, Clinton was "satisfied" with the results of the summit, which include agreements reached by member economies on a list of green goods and bilateral cooperation with Russia in the Antarctic and the Bering strait.

During an interview with a local TV channel last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was necessary to continue the dialogue on the US missile defense program in Europe, but he was not sure whether Washington was "prepared for this kind of cooperation."

Moscow has long been opposed to the deployment of US-led European missile defense facilities near its borders and called for legally binding guarantees from Washington and NATO that the missile shield will not target Russia.