Putin offers Bush missile-defense deal« Thread Started on Jun 7, 2007, 4:15pm » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Putin offers Bush missile-defense dealPOSTED: 2113 GMT (0513 HKT), June 7, 2007 read at source> http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europ ... ILIGENDAMM, Germany (CNN) -- U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Thursday at the G8 summit in Germany to cooperate on missile-defense systems, apparently cooling tensions between the two leaders."We have an understanding about common threats, but we have differences. The difference is the ways and means in which we can overcome these threats," Putin told reporters after a one-on-one meeting with Bush.While the United States wants to install missile-defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic -- a plan that has severely irritated the Russians -- Putin said he suggested using an existing radar station that Russia rents in neighboring Azerbaijan. (Watch Bush and Putin in cooperative mood at news conference)That way, all of Europe would be protected, he said at a joint news conference."The existing agreement makes it possible for us to do this. And the president of Azerbaijan stressed he would be glad to contribute to world security and stability," Putin said.He said he met with the Azerbaijan president on Wednesday. There would have to be new construction, and that could start right away, Putin added.Azerbaijan, formerly part of the Soviet Union, is north of Iran, and is bordered on the east by the Caspian Sea.According to Putin, use of the radar station would make it unnecessary for Russia to install "offensive complexes" at European borders and unnecessary for the United States to put such complexes in outer space.Bush said the missile-defense plan was meant to block possible attacks from Iran and other nations, but Putin said the systems would be on Russia's doorstep and could be converted into offensive weapons."It's much better to work together than to create tensions," Bush said after the meeting. "He expressed his concerns to me. He is concerned that the missile defense system is not an act that a friend would do."