NATO To Offer Russia Access To US Satellite Data

The offer will come as part of a broader deal to be extended to Russia at the NATO-Russia Council that immediately follows the 28-member Alliance's Nov. 19-20 summit in Lisbon, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper quoted a NATO source as saying.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has accepted an invitation to attend the talks, which will also focus on NATO's activities in Afghanistan, in which Russia is also taking part.

NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has invited Russia to join the proposed missile shield, at the same time stressing that "we do not want to impose a specific missile defense architecture on Russia."

Medvedev has cautiously welcomed the deal but said Russia would like to see more details.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta cited a NATO source as saying that the deal involves a proposal to share information about missile and other threats.

It would also grant Russia access to some US satellite intelligence imagery, including about countries such as North Korea.