Putin proposes missile shield compromise

Russian President Vladimir Putin, bitterly opposed to a US plan for a missile shield in Europe, told US President George Bush today that Moscow would drop its objections if the radar-based system were installed in the central Asian nation of Azerbaijan.

Mr Bush has proposed putting the radar and rockets in the Czech Republic and Poland. Mr Putin told Mr Bush he would drop his threat to retarget Russian missiles on Europe if the United States agreed to put the system in Azerbaijan.