Putin sees U.S. change on missile defence

By Oleg Shchedrov

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, using unusually positive language, said on Tuesday there had been a "certain transformation" in the U.S. position on missile defence and added that talks would continue.

"The latest contacts with the American partners showed that there is a certain transformation in their position and we will continue the dialogue," Putin said in an interview with Iranian media released to Russian journalists travelling with him.

Putin did not give further details, but he held talks in Moscow at the end of last week with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates.

He used the same interview to criticise NATO, saying the U.S.-led alliance's expansion to include former Soviet satellites in eastern Europe was "harmful".

On the missile defence system, Putin repeated Russia's position that it does not see an identifiable threat to justify the project. But he did accept that his country should work with both the United States and Europe to overcome differences.

The United States plans to place 10 interceptors in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic under the project.

"We are having a difficult dialogue with the United States and European partners on missile defence. If we need to create a missile defence, then it should be done together, based on certain principles," he said.

Putin said that the United States and Russia must create a transparent system and agree on how it would operate.