No movement on NATO-Russia missile defence dispute

NATO and Russia said on Wednesday they had made no progress in settling sharp differences over a planned missile defence system for Europe but pledged to continue efforts to resolve the row. ‘It is no secret that we have not yet found the way to work together on missile defence,’ NATO head Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after a meeting of the NATO-Russia council. ‘However, ministerial discussions are valuable in addressing existing concerns and we need to continue to engage frankly and directly to overcome our differences.’ Moscow fears that US-led plans for a missile defence system against attacks from outside Europe compromise its security.