Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend K.Ramazanova / Vasiliy Istratov, the Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, regarded 'enough serious' a 2+2 meeting due in Moscow on 12 October.
Issues of the joint use of Gabala radar station will be discussed in Moscow on 12-13 October in a meeting of foreign and defense ministers of Russia and the United States. "Today [12 October] more serious issues of the US-Russia relations, in particular, Gabala Radar station, are discussed. However, I do not think any concrete decision will be adopted on this issue today or tomorrow,' the ambassador said.
There are all opportunities to make a concrete decision on joint use of the Gabala Station.
"We submitted to the table of talks our proposals and there is exact understanding of the Russia and US positions," the diplomat said.
Within the framework of the G-8 summit on 7 June 2007, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, offered US joint exploitation of Gabala radar station and a radar station being constructed in Armavir instead of deploying Anti-Missile Defence (AMD) elements in Poland and the Czech Republic. US rejected the offer and stated it would implement its plans in East Europe. At the same time, US said it was ready to consider joint exploitation of Gabala radar station along with placement missile shield in Europe.
Russia leases the Gabala Radio Radar Station in Azerbaijan. After Azerbaijan regained its independence and owned the station, Russia offered to use it. A ten-year agreement to rent the station was signed in 2002.