By Xinhua
Washington : The US has decided to hold top-level meetings with Russia to resolve an escalating dispute over America's plans to build an anti-missile system in Eastern Europe, a senior US official said.
"We have agreed to a Russian suggestion that the secretaries of defence and state meet with their Russian counterparts," Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried told reporters Friday.
Fried said the first meeting was tentatively planned for around September, possibly with the participation of the two governments' national security advisors.
The US plans to base missile interceptors in Poland and radar units in the Czech Republic as part of a project to extend the missile defence system to Europe.
It is a precaution measure which Washington says is to defend threats from the Middle East.
Russia has expressed strong concerns about the US plan, saying it will harm the regional security situation.