Russia is strongly opposed to US development of an anti-missile system, arguing that it would upset the strategic balance between Washington and Moscow. Middle East talks President Clinton is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in Lisbon on Thursday to discuss developments in the Middle East. The talks are expected to focus on Israel's recent military withdrawal from southern lebanon and the stalled peace talks with the Palestinians. Mr Clinton will then travel to Berlin for the next stage of his European tour. 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty is expected to be a topic of heated debate at a meeting in Moscow on Sunday between Mr Clinton and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
Some European countries including Germany are sceptical about the new missile defence system.
Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Guterres said any move to strengthen security in the northern hemisphere should be agreed as widely as possible among the nations concerned. But the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he was confident a common understanding could be reached on the missile defence issue. Mr Clinton hinted that the United States would be willing to share missile defence technology with Russia. We have offered to do more and we would continue to. At the same time, he fell short of offering a defensive missile shield to US allies - a position advocated by Republican presidential candidate George W Bush.