Putin says Obama willing to revive talks on missile shield

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said U.S. President Barack Obama is willing to revive deadlocked talks on a planned U.S. missile shield in Europe, but that a military lobby in Congress and the "conservative" State Department are holding him back, RIA Novosti reported.

"Is it possible to find a solution to the problem, if President Obama is re-elected for a second term? In principle, yes, it is," Putin told the RT international news channel in an interview. "But this isn't just about President Obama," he said. "My feeling is that he is a sincere man and that he sincerely wants to implement positive change. But can he do it? Will they let him do it? There is... the military lobby, and the Department of State, which is quite conservative."

Putin also stressed the need for dialogue on the controversial shield, but said he was "not sure" that Washington was "ready for this kind of cooperation."

Negotiations between Russia and the United States on the missile defense project have stalled over Washington's reluctance to give Moscow legally-binding guarantees that the shield will not be used against it. Washington and NATO say they need the shield to defend Europe against a possible missile attack from Iran. Russia says the project could pose a threat to its national security and has threatened a host of countermeasures.