European leaders hail US revision of missile shield plan.

BRUSSELS, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- European leaders on Thursday
praised the US decision to drop the plans of deploying a missile shield in
Poland and the Czech Republic, which triggered tensions in relations with
Russia.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy called the decision of US President
Barack Obama "extremely wise" and expressed hope Russia "will attach the
importance to the decision that it merits."
"From the point of view of the relationship between Europe and Russia,
and between Russia, Europe and the United States it is extremely
positive," he said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the decision "a hopeful signal
to overcome the difficulties with Russia."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was pleased
with the decision. "I have stressed from the outset: in the end we need
more and not less collective security. Therefore, I have always been
convinced that we must find common answers to common threats," he said.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he strongly supported the
decision, which would promote progress in the nonproliferation issue in
the near future.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the decision
saying it gives to all allied nations "an even greater role in the U.S.
plans of missile defense."
Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer said "there are no reasons for
changes in our relationship with the United States. We are on a perfect
level on bilateral basis and in the framework of NATO. We have strong
allies and strong partners."


.US opens "window of possibilities" for Russia relationship.

WASHINGTON, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- By revising the decision to
deploy a missile defense shield in Europe the administration of US
President Barack Obama opened "a window of possibilities" for expanded
cooperation with Russia, according to The Nixon Center President Dimitri
Simes.
That is a "reasonable" decision, he told Tass on Thursday. "The Obama
administration definitely cares for Central and Eastern Europe and is
concerned with its security. However in contrast to the previous Bush
administration it is not ready to be on the bit of the leaders of the
region who clearly viewed the third positional missile defense area not as
protection from Iranian threat, but as a means of pressure on Moscow," he
said.
The United States made it clear it is not going to take steps, which
are "provocative for Russia and add nothing to the US security", he said.
Simes rejected claims it was a bargain between Russia and the United
States.
"Relations between the great powers are no Oriental bazaar where
primitive trade is going on by the 'roll my log and I'll roll yours'
principle. Nobody is building relations in such a way between Moscow and
Washington," he said.
However, the US revision of missile defense plans shall encourage
Russia to help lift US concerns over Iran. "If that does not happen the
interesting possibility for progressing in Russian-US relations may be
lost," Simes said.
He believes the Republican Party will mount criticism of Obama
decision. "The critical flow will grow also by exerting pressure on the
White House from various ethnic groups in the United States, first and
foremost, from the Polish community."
"If the Obama administration gets nothing from Russia on Iran, it will
face major pressure. I do not believe it will change its decision on the
missile shield, but it will have less political readiness to continue the
line on cooperation with Moscow," Simes said.

.Work on new strategic arms reduction deal proceeds normally.

MOSCOW, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- The work on a new Russian-US
strategic arms reduction treaty has not entered the final stage, but is
going as scheduled, Kremlin foreign policy aide Sergei Prikhodko said
commenting on the upcoming talks of President Dmitry Medvedev with his US
counterpart Barack Obama next week.
"The START work is not at the final stage, but proceeds normally. We
shall give assessments when it is completed," he said.
Prikhodko said experts "work on every comma, every letter" of the new
deal, which is to replace the existing treaty that expires in December.
"The subject of the work is of critical importance for Russia and the
United States and for the whole world community," he stressed.
At the meeting in New York on September 23 Medvedev and Obama "will
briefly sum up the results of the work carried out since their latest
talks in Moscow in early July and will outline the targets of political
dialogue for the upcoming period," Prikhodko said.
"Medvedev and Obama will exchange considerations on most actual issues
related to the work on the disarmament dossier, regional problems, such as
the Middle East settlement, the situation around Afghanistan, Iran, the
DPRK," the aide said.
"With the current US administration we maintain not only intensive,
but also very productive contact. We have no closed or prohibited topics.
We concentrate on future-oriented joint effort in bilateral and
international affairs," he said.
"We noted the readiness of the US administration to speak openly
without prejudice. Our dialogue is sometimes tough, but respectful," he
said.


.Policeman wounded by gunmen in Kabardino-Balkaria.

NALCHIK, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- A policeman was wounded in the
North Caucasian Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria late on Thursday when
unknown gunmen opened fire at a patrol car.
Police said the gunmen attacked the police car in the center of
Nalchik and fled.