RUSSIAN EXPERTS TO HOLD CONSULTATIONS ON NABM WITH U.S.








MOSCOW, MARCH 11, 2001 /RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT ALEKSANDER KONOVALOV/. Staffers of Russian Defence and Foreign Ministries are to conduct consultations on NABM issues with representatives of the U.S. administration, said Valentin Kuznetsov, head of the international treaty department of the international cooperation department under the Russian Defence Ministry.


	


	In his words, such consultations through the Foreign Ministry have become possible after the U.S. administration expressed willingness to holding talks on the NABM problem with its allies and with Russia and China as well. During the forthcoming consultations with the U.S. officials, noted the rear admiral, Russian representatives will firmly stick to Moscow's stance opposing the U.S. plans to deploy NABM system, i.e. the system which embraces the territory of the country.


	


	According to Valentin Kuznetsov, the Russian side will closely follow the Bush administration's moves towards NABM and therefore ponder its measures in response. He left open the opportunity that the new U.S. administration might introduce certain amendments into the NABM plans of the previous administration.


	


	"So far, noted Kuznetsov, "the tests that the U.S. has conducted failed and brought about more questions than answers as to how to practically create an effective NABM on the territory of the country." 


	He deems it quite possible that the new U.S. administration will finally see that the NABM concept forwarded by the previous leadership is no more than "a soap bubble".