but it was. the opposition protests and. now one of president putin in office was to order the foreign ministry to obtain clear guarantees that america's missile defense shield is not a threat to moscow now we talked to nato deputy secretary general on the future of cooperation between russia and the. alexander vershbow naturists deputy secretary general great to have you with us sir good to be here so let's start with something you probably never heard before russia is greatly concerned about nato anti-missile defense system in here up will be able to shoot down its nuclear missiles that's upsetting the balance in the region that the negotiation on this topic has started two years ago in two thousand and ten why do you think that is that the united states still isn't haven't been

able to person rochelle's the opposite well it's not something that is very satisfying and we want to continue to work on this dialogue with russia but it is a serious difference of opinion that we have to overcome because it's really about the facts about the science about the capabilities of the system that nato is developing with the strong contribution from the united states we remain convinced that there is no danger to the russian strategic nuclear force not today not ten years from now and that the russian analysis is based on a series of worst case to some patients and and unrealistic assumptions that creates an image of a threat which really doesn't exist there's so much to be gained from cooperating. there's a threat out there that's significant today and will be growing by the end of this decade. more and more of europe including european russia will be within range of

ballistic missiles possibly equipped with nuclear weapons or chemical weapons so if we can cooperate if we can link our systems plan together. that have our experts working together twenty four hours a day i think that russia can overcome its concerns and become a real full partner of nato on missile defense but russia is still doubtful and you're absolutely right when you say not allow the. is worried that maybe in five six seven years time the european anti missile defense system will be able to shoot down for example specifically it's concerned about the modifications of the s. and three interceptor that can travel fast enough to actually shoot down russia's new cells and sent a key issue it's a very technical issue but it's a very fundamental issue is that nato system can't fire and that's today system in the system we might have ten years from now it cannot fire until they were told the i.c.b.m. that it's targeting has finished its powered flight until the engine burns out and

only then is it going in a ballistic trajectory by the time that happens if this we're talking about a russian system it will be too far to the north nato will it might fire but it will be chasing the tail that missile all the way to crashes into the arctic sea so what you're saying completely makes sense and you're not the first one to answer these questions but then here's the big question that i ask everyone and no one really can answer that question in that case why can't america when he took you russia legally bound in guarantees that's a complicated question relating in part to politics and in part to the nature of the problem the cooperation itself we think is the best guarantees come inside the structure participate in the planning learn more about the system we could agree to exchange information about what we're going to have not just tomorrow but five years from now ten years from now there's lots of ways to

increase predictability which is really what russia is looking for a guarantee as we saw with the a.b.m. treaty it's just a piece of paper can be torn up and abandoned just took six months for president george w. bush to abandon the a.b.m. treaty so that. didn't didn't serve as a barrier but co-operation predictability a full understanding of what the system can do looking out five ten years that's what we're prepared to provide and i think a solution can be found now i mention politics president obama when he sought the ratification of the new start treaty made some very specific commitments to the senate to get that treaty through he said the united states will accept no limits on its ballistic missile capabilities i know president ed you have had to make similar deals to get it through the duma. but political leaders need to. understand that no one has the ability to override the will of their of their

parliaments i understand but in this case in this particular case america needs this defense system much more than russia because it's. it's a topic of concern for russia so it's the only thing that's coming in the way of sealing the deal is the legal legal guarantee why not just give it because it would because of the commitments that have been made it would be rejected by our senator we're in a worse situation so i just don't think that's the answer i think political guarantees transparency predictability. and the benefits that come from cooperation. in which nato would be helping russia protect its territory just as much as russia would be helping nato i think all that leads to the kind of confidence that. both necessary and sufficient to move forward well from what we're told they say european missile defense system is really directed against the iranian threat and

it will be fully operational in two thousand and eighteen there are numerous ways right now to contain iran u.s. is building bases around it israel has kept abilities international sanctions are in place it really doesn't look like in the nearest future for another five six years iran will be representing a real threat to nato so why so what is the purpose of this whole european anti-missile system if iran is contained well there's a i think a legitimate debate that we could have maybe if we had more time about can iran a regime that has a radical ideology that has pledged to wipe country not far from its borders off the map whether it could really be contained. but yes the threat today is not. as bad as we think it will be five ten years ago ten ten years from now so we do have time to work this out right now the threat is concentrated mainly in the southeastern part of europe and southern part of russia if you look at the circles

on the map. but we've also seen iran conduct tests of new generation missiles that are even longer range that can begin to threaten central europe by the end of the decade they'll be threatening northern europe will they actually attack. who knows but having the missile defense capability would change their calculus they would know that they couldn't blackmail us they couldn't successfully carry out preemptive strikes. so that's so missile defense ultimately is part of deterrence at the regional level and we don't think it affects deterrence at strategic level as you see what's to future of to european missile defense system taking into consideration the financial problems surrounding the issue in the us but i think the system is still on course because it's in visits to be implemented in stages over many years. we have time to demonstrate to the skeptics that the systems are

capable. that they can be produced within the budget constraints that are there set by our congress and by nato this is a gradual process phase two doesn't begin till two thousand and fifteen that's three years from now the next phase is three years later twenty eighteen so. i think we can work out arrangements with russia. that would strengthen the security of nato and russia together so from the russian perspective the whole missile defense is break or make as far as break do as far as nature relations go present advance of has stated more than one step at a new arms race could be in place if the two sides don't come to agreement but is it really as important to nato as it is to russia i would hope that at the end of the day it would be equally important to both parties because we're talking about our security and security of our people security of our territory. you know nothing

more important than that. at the same time we take the russian concerns very seriously so we have to address the concerns about strategic stability i think we can. and you know then i think we can to really be thinking about nato russia relations in a totally new way. we're still not yet free of the. hostility of the suspicions of the cold war which is disappointing sort of been a long time since the berlin wall came down and the map of europe was changed irrevocably but those suspicions still linger and. it's our mutual obligation to try to work together to overcome how do you think the whole thing will play out with putting back in office he also has openly criticized the u.s. anti-missile defense plans as undermining trust between two nations i think that he's very familiar with the subject matter this issue has been with us for

a long time he was discussing it with the previous hadley us administration when the last time he was president so. clearly there's a. maybe some. residual suspicion in distrust going back to some of those negotiations before the obama administration came into office but different topic nato has made a major contribution to the success of the libyan uprising kilby as current government install stability in the country without foreign military aid well we certainly hope so. it was never. our intention it was never the mandate to. to engage in a long term stability operation in libya the libyans are a proud people who you know want to take control of their their own future they're trying to. prepare for elections this spring. but. you know i think i said at the implicit part of your question that things are

a bit confused right now inside libya and there's problems of control over some of the weapons that were. liberated from the from gadhafi as arsenals there's a very weak institutions whether one talks about the militias that are still operating or lack of a fully developed judicial system so they need they need help and hopefully the united nations can help in coordinating the kinds of assistance they need to build stronger institutions. no one seems to be calling for any international military involvement i think that what they need is help from both their arab friends from europe from the from the e.u. and any any individual actor who can share expertise that can help them put their house in order not you out of all people should know was planning to kill qaddafi from the very onset of the operation that wasn't nato has mission it wasn't nato

responsibility. even though i think for the people of libya. it might have been done and through a more orderly process but. i think they have a brighter future today than they did one year ago first both nato deputy secretary thank you very much for this and it's a pleasure. it

hasn't been. on t.v. . it is to get the maximum political impact. the material is worth. journalism we. we want to preserve. something you know.

the headlines on our t.v. and the changes at the top in russia vladimir putin outlines his new presidential policies while dmitri medvedev could soon be applying his modernization strategies as prime minister however protest marches do continue with some clashes reported and arrests. standing up to germany's euro dominance and ending foreign wars started by is pretty. newly elected socialist leader is facing tough pressure to leave the. vote for stability for many in syria after people made their choice in the country's first multi-party elections in half a century however it was the boycotted by the opposition which staged protests instead. and time now for the sports with paul.

thank you very much rory welcome back to the world of sports here is what's coming up. placement battles pick up a crucial tool when across as they are to avoid relegation from the russian premier league. in the balance lamont peterson is well title rematch with i may call him later this month is in doubt as the world champions come. round of drugs test. and a surprise guest hours of to his inauguration as president but he misquotes in takes to the ice for a dollar a vented. let's kick off with football and korea so it's off have climbed out of the relegation play off there in the russian premier league following a total win across not all. even tunnel scored by the side of half time the group really has chances of survival the smaller side now unbeaten in games and won four

out of their last five however there's one more much to go this season just two points above the relegation play off places. meanwhile over in the english premier league blackburn rovers have been relegated so after they lost one nil at home to wigan on monday until an alcohol school the games i may go with three minutes to play the way to secure the latics top flight status for yet another season. meanwhile barcelona have been named as the team of the decade at the international federation of football history and statistics dollar held in the catalan city the organization researches and documents world football actually won seven awards on the night including the best team of twenty eleven on the best european team of the decade while outgoing manager pep guardiola was named world's best club coach of the last year and he'll be a hard act to follow according to one of his predecessors. in the past. years bonds have truly played well and have want

a lot of titles not as with everything else in life one has to evolve as time goes by opponents get to know you more and they study the way to win against you so i think barcelona from now on has to have all of and that is what new manager to do the know what we'll have to do because otherwise the other teams improve more than you do. now canada have returned to winning ways of the ice hockey world championship they put in overtime to think to the usa behind them with a comfortable seven two win over frogs. were ready travelled in helsinki patrick sharp was on form as he scored one and added four assists slovakia secured their first win of the tournament with a surprise sporting victory over the previously updating us a couple of sweden maintain their one hundred percent record with a six four well against denmark ball the czech republic made it a penalty shoot out to overcome norway. we were russia's first ever amateur ice hockey league is reaching its climatic climax and to mark the occasion on monday night there was a goal a match between a selection of amateur players and

a host of russian legends plus as michael craft shanker reports there was also one very special guest. i soucie is huge in russia there's no question about it whether it's the iconic summit series from one thousand seventy two or the countless medals at the olympics ice hockey has always been at the heart of russia's sporting excellence and the newly created russian amateur i saw the league aims to uphold that tradition russian hockey legends including two time olympic gold when the next level fifty seven took to the ice in an end of season gala match against the select lucky bunch of amateur players judging by today's attendance it seems that not only the members of the russian fans i suppose you believe have been looking forward to the full state of witnessing some of russia's greatest i suppose plays together in an ice rink but it's also befitting day was it was you that i thought people sat in seats and of course they were all very sick of the russian

federation's new president vladimir putin who might make a surprise appearance later on one would have been forgiven for thinking of the country's new president would have too much on his plate having just been sworn in but in true putin fashion he found the time not only to show up but also help his band of amateur players beat the legends team he scored almost as soon as he entered the fray and after setting up a vital last minute equaliser went on to secure his team's victory with a well taken penalty. i would like to say thank you to all our veterans i know how they admire the development of ice hockey how they found the time to support our russian beginners hockey league i'm constantly shocked at how many of our older generations follow and support ice hockey and i want to wish everyone good luck. and to cap off a successful night international icici federation president bernie. found the time amidst the ongoing world championships to attend and say

a few words for. mr president i congratulate you. and dear friends i love you c'mon russia. and with that there's no doubt that the sports will have a staunch following for decades to come. now to boxing in the world title rematch between light welterweight champion lamont peterson and is in doubt they say after the americans camp issued a statement confirming he's failed a random drug test reports claim the twenty eight year old tested positive for synthetic testosterone following a random test in march his camp say they will comply with the offer to use and submit medical findings in support of and i quote good faith intentions and unified the i.d.f. and w.p.a. titles with a controversial points win over carn in his hometown of washington in december but this news puts may nineteenth vegas rematch in jeopardy. meanwhile the heavyweight

showdown between british david haye and derek she is or is going ahead the pair will meet in london on july the fourteenth despite neither having a british license was revoked after his brawl with a post fight press conference earlier this year while haye relinquished his when he retired last october the fight has been sanctioned by the luxembourg boxing federation and will take place at west ham's up to me. over the hardwood now why the sudden turn your spurs have made it into the second round of the n.b.a. playoffs not so after winning their best of seven series against the four zero to clean sweep was completed on monday with tim duncan and company winning going for eighty seven point two eight he was really was top scorer with seventeen points while duncan himself by the eleven elsewhere the l.a. clippers have taken a free one lead in their series with the memphis grizzlies. game for winning one hundred one ninety seven in overtime chris paul grabbing twenty seven points there

in tennessee into the second round of the madrid masters after the russian quo. the former world number one one calls for in straight sets of beating the home favorite six four seven six an impressive victory considering this was his first win on the tour since february that's doubtful the russian is either for the whole tribe or. it's. the rough and you are mikhail youzhny a nickel identical also through to the second round thanks to straight sets weighs over strange heavier marty and collations evil call of each goal alex vogel of junior lost to south africa's kevin anderson. now to the relatively new sport of sky running where russia's mt elbrus has hosted a stage in the world series for the very first time consuming the top of reports. it's not the first time skywriting disciplines have taken to the slopes of europe's highest mountain elbrus five thousand six hundred forty two meters above sea level

however it's the first time the mountain has become a stage of the world series as stop sky runners ski others here to take part in one of the most spectacular events of the sport one of these is the vertical cule meter where the competitors climb one thousand meters these time the distance was around two and a half kilometers while for the weather and snow on the course made the event even more challenging the race turned out to be a battle between the two brightest stars of sky ronnie market i guess barry and their demand i'll saga thirty five year old i guess barry managed to claw out victory climbing first to the finish line with a new record in the race yet he too has a higher around here. especially when you don't understand all. here can raged such a hard place. because you know there's no he says leap or

a end but anyway you know enjoyed the course here was only foggy until this beauty that you can't see the landscape from here while his fellow spanair it was second to finish one minute behind not that i enjoyed competing with biggest perry as i always do but he was at his best i was leading need way through the race and even thought i could grab the gold but biggest player was just better today and over to create. third was russia's sky running champion aleksandr. to the delight of the home crowd it's l.a. and i guess barry was the quickest in the vertical kilometer at their opening stage of the world serious how it can be called just a warm up ahead of this guy race where they can better will run up to the mountain summit on may the ninth because they about out of r.t. two thousand three hundred metres above sea level they'll bruce mountain. now

finally next in cologne is my have one last month's crime national in england one of the most famous horse races in the world but on monday it was a grand national with a difference this is the mascot the grand national at canton racecourse forty six competitors representing a professional and amateur sports clubs and other organizations took part in the one hundred meter dash now i'm a lot like a bit of fun but one competitor was found to be wearing spikes perhaps taking it a bit too seriously the wind up by a clear margin was blown it football clubs. he reiterated his dominance by retaining the title that he won last year. while that is all the sport for now you know and it will be here in a little under two hours time to join in that. brighton

. song from steve. don't come.

new beginning of law to me putin outlines his new presidential policy while dimitri medvedev could soon be prime minister however protests do continue with clashes and arrests. standing up to germany's euro dominance and ending foreign no walls france's newly elected socialist leader is facing tough pressure to leave behind. and it's a vote for stability for many in syria after people made their choice in the country's first multi-party elections in the half a century. a very warm welcome to you from all of us here at r.t. moscow.