WASHINGTON — The United States on Wednesday submitted a formal proposal to Russia for cooperation on missile defense in eastern Europe, seeking to defuse an issue that has increased tensions between the two countries.
Addressing another contentious issue, the U.S. also submitted a proposal that it hoped would discourage Moscow from withdrawing from a key European arms control treaty.
Both issues have contributed to U.S.-Russian relations worsening to the lowest point since the Cold War. The proposals had been discussed in negotiations between the two nations, but Russia insisted on having them in writing before continuing talks.
U.S. and Russian officials declined to release the documents.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to discuss them Monday ahead of Middle East peace talks in Annapolis, Md.
The documents deal with U.S. plans to install a radar in the Czech Republic and missile interceptors in Poland and Russian plans to suspend participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, known as CFE.
Desmond Butler, The Associated Press
