Qabala radar station in Azerbaijan (Image from Russian Vesti TV)

The Russian media is upbeat about President Putin's proposal at the G8 summit for Russia and the US to jointly use a radar system in Azerbaijan to develop a missile shield that would cover all of Europe.

Russian state-owned TV calls it a constructive compromise and a viable alternative to US plans to site parts of the shield in eastern Europe.

An Azeri paper says the "sensational statement" took Azeri officials by surprise. Czech and Polish commentators say that while the development shows a welcome readiness for dialogue, those who are opposed to the siting of the shield in their respective countries should hold off the celebrations for the moment.

An Iranian radio commentary meanwhile warns of serious regional security implications should the proposal go ahead.

Russia is offering the USA its own version of defence against a missile strike... The meeting between the Russian and American presidents was very constructive and it featured a Russian initiative with which all the world's major TV channels have been leading their news bulletins.

It's an open, honest and effective proposal... It's difficult to come up with a handier location for intercepting the Iranian missiles that are frightening the USA and Europe. If, indeed, these horrific missiles make an appearance any time. And so the Qabala radar station is not just a unique facility but also a unique test of sincerity.

Vladimir Putin made George Bush an offer which will be difficult to turn down... This news literally lit up the newswires, and now they're preferring not to make further mention of the phrase "the Cold War".

Putin, I think, will do everything to ensure that his proposals on Azerbaijan exclude the initiative to create a missile defence system in Poland.

This move by Putin was as strong as it was predictable... the Qabala radar facility will present the Kremlin with a powerful counter-argument in relation to Washington's plans for a Czech radar site.

Talk of a second cold war has turned out to be premature... Russia and the USA agreed on a strategic dialogue on the issue of missile defence. Putin offered joint use of the Qabala radar facility in Azerbaijan, which would enable the Americans to abandon the deployment of missile defence in Europe.

Kommersant has learned that discussions between Russian and US experts were held at least a fortnight before ago... The offer in effect means that the Kremlin has agreed to take a big step towards the US stand on Iran, to show Tehran whom it regards as its real ally in the world.

Putin's sensational statement has had a powerful effect of surprise in Baku... Nobody expected that Azerbaijan would be mentioned in such a high-profile event. Officials were not in a hurry to comment. The head of the foreign relations department at the Azerbaijani presidential administration, Novruz Mammadov, said that it is difficult to comment on the issue while it is in discussion.

After all the problems with Moscow, the Americans cannot be expected to embrace [Putin's proposal]. Besides, it cannot be ruled out that Azerbaijan will be little more than a minor part of the Czech-Polish project. The radar's opponents should wait a little longer with their celebrations. It's far more likely that a battle over the radar still awaits the Czech Republic.

Putin's proposal is a sign of his readiness for dialogue... It would have been fair to predict that Russia's position would have been firmer... Putin's statement is clearly a response to the American proposal to give the Russians access to the working and monitoring of the installation. It allows one to hope for dialogue.

So far one thing is clear - the Russian-US conversations on this theme does not end here. Both leaders will face each other again at Bush's father's ranch on 1 July and continue the discussion.

The radar base that Putin has in mind would be situated in the North of the Azerbaijan Republic and is considered as one of the biggest radar bases. Up to now the government in Baku has not reacted to this proposal from Putin but it appears that Russia is embarking on a political compromise with America with serious regional implications in the domain of security.

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