(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-10-27 19:15

In a bid to ease Russian concerns, Washington said earlier this week it had offered to delay activation of parts of its missile shield in Europe if Russia cooperated on the project.

"I'm still hopeful we can make progress ... and partner with the Russians. But the rhetoric sometimes is fairly troubling," Gates said in a speech in Texas.

In a demonstration of potential consequences, a top Russian military commander said on Friday Moscow could resume the production of short and medium-range nuclear missiles, similar to those which threatened Western Europe in the mid-1980s.

"If there is a political decision to make such a class of missile, then it is obvious that they will be made in Russia in the near future because we have everything we need," Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov said in Moscow.

In an attempt to stop the US plan, Putin has promised to allow Washington use a radar it rents in Azerbaijan, built in the Soviet days to monitor the Indian Ocean zone, or a new radar with even wider range located in southern Russia.

He has also proposed setting up a joint missile defence system, which would include European countries.

Washington has made clear it was ready to cooperate with Russia, but said the Russian offer was an addition rather than a replacement for its missile shield plan.

"Unfortunately we haven't received replies to our proposals," Putin said.

He said, however, the row over the US missile shield plans had no chance of turning into a major global crisis.

"Thank God, we do not have any Cuban missile crisis now and this is above all because of the fundamental way relations between Russia and the United States and Europe have changed.

"Not in the least our personal relations with President Bush, the relations of trust, help to smooth such problems. I have a full right to describe him as my personal friend as he calls me his friend."

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