November 22, 2007 (LPAC)--The Associated Press reports today that the U.S. has submitted a formal proposal to Russia for cooperation on ballistic missile defense. This follows Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's public complaint that no written proposal from the U.S. side had been received, weeks after the 2+2 meeting of foreign and defense ministers from both sides to try to reach an agreement on how, and if, a missile defense system in Europe should be deployed. On November 20, President Putin himself publicly complained about the lack of a U.S. response.

On the table, has been the proposal made by Russian President Vladimir Putin personally to President Bush at Kennebunkport last June, where the Russian President called for Russian-American cooperation on missile defense, as a move toward a strategic partnership. The proposal was hailed by SDI author Lyndon LaRouche as a potentially major breakthrough.

According to AP, the proposal that was submitted yesterday will be discussed when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Lavrov meet Monday before the Middle East peace talks in Annapolis, Md. The documents deal with U.S. plans to install a radar in the Czech Republic and missile interceptors in Poland, and Russian plans to suspend participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, or CFE.

AP reports that the U.S. offer includes: integrating U.S., Russian, and NATO missile defense systems to expand protection of both Russia and the West, (which has been stressed by NATO members), allowing Russian experts to make regular inspections of the U.S. missile interceptor site in Poland, which, U.S. officials emphasized, is contingent on approval from Poland, (which is, by no means assured); and, delaying the activation of the U.S. missile interceptors until it is clear that Iran can reach Europe with ballistic missiles, (which evaluation, the Russians have insisted upon).

AP reports that Russian officials have reacted positively to the proposal of delaying activation of the interceptors. But Russian negotiators insist that the offer include a binding treaty that would detail specific terms for activation, said a Russian official, and the United States would likely object to such a demand.