US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made plain in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday that the US would go ahead with its central European missile shield plans, according to DPA. Talks which Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described as frank produced no official statement concerning the US plans, which have contributed to strained relations. But Rice made clear the US was determined to continue with them. "I don't think anyone expects the United States to permit a veto on American security interests," she was quoted as saying. On the positive side at the talks in Putin's Novo Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, both Rice and Putin agreed in the future to curb the often heated tone of discussion between each other's countries, according to Lavrov, who took part. On Kosovo, Lavrov said Russia regretted that no agreement could be reached that also found Serbia's acceptance.
