RUSSIA, US SIGN AGREEMENT ON MANPADS
RIA Novosti
BRATISLAVA, February 24 (RIA Novosti) - An agreement on stricter control over man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) has been signed at the Russian-US summit in Bratislava by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
According to Mr. Ivanov, the document gives a definition of MANPADS. "The sides commit themselves to inform each other about MANPADS supplies to third countries" because only Russia and the United States produce these systems, he noted.
However, this does not mean restrictions or prohibition of MANPADS trade, Mr. Ivanov emphasized.
In compliance with the document, the sides "will take all effort to encourage their allies, or satellites, to take measures on MANPADS non-proliferation," the minister said.
In his words, Russia signed relevant bilateral documents on mutual informing about MANPADS movement with all the CIS countries except Turkmenistan.
"It took the Russian Defense Ministry and Pentagon six months to completely draft the document," Sergei Ivanov stressed.
"This is a practical result of bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation," he noted.
Russia and the US believe than MANPADS can be terrible weapons in the hands of terrorists.
The document implies further interaction and coordination of the sides on MANPADS non-proliferation in the world.
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