It is up to the Russians to show they are not pursuing a "sham game" to thwart U.S. efforts to establish missile defense sites in Europe, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday.
Speaking to reporters en route to the Russian capital from Washington, Gates said he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saw some prospect of progress on long-stalled negotiations over U.S. proposals to establish missile defense sites in central Europe. But he did not sound particularly optimistic.
"I wouldn't get too enthusiastic at this point," he said.
Gates was joined a short time later by Rice, who traveled separately. Setting a tough tone even before arriving, Gates questioned the sincerity of the Russian government's objections to missile defense.
"My view is we've put a lot on the table" in recent negotiations, Gates said. "Now it's time for them to reciprocate."
Gates and Rice were to meet President Vladimir Putin and President-elect Dmitry Medvedev on Monday in advance of daylong talks Tuesday with the Russian defense and foreign ministers. The sessions come five months after a similar engagement in Moscow that produced no discernible progress toward agreement.
Gates said he and Rice were bringing no new missile defense proposals to the talks, which will cover a wide range of topics, including cooperation against terrorism, future arms control talks and economic relations.
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