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03-03-9 Russia Willing to Talk Missiles But No 'Swaps'

Russia would be willing to discuss a new missile defense structure with the United States but sees Iran's nuclear program as a separate issue,Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday.Asked about a report in the New York Times that U.S. President Barack Obama had written to him offering to back off deploying a new missile system in Eastern Europe in return for help with the Iranians,Medvedev said signals from Washington were positive but the two issues were separate."If we are talking about any "swaps"(Iran for missile defense),this is not how the question is being put.This would not be productive," Medvedev told a news conference in Madrid,where he was on a state visit.But he added:"If the new (U.S.) administration shows common sense and offers a new (missile defense) structure which would satisfy European (needs) ... and would be acceptable for us,we are ready to discuss it."