Russia will use Gabala radar - Space Forces representative

MOSCOW, August 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Space Forces will not give up using the Gabala radar in Azerbaijan, the forces' spokesman said, commenting on media reports that Russia could soon abandon the site.

"The activity of the Space Forces is aimed at all radars eventually being on Russian territory. But we do not intend to give up the agreement on the use of the Gabala ahead of time," Alexei Zolotukhin said.

He added that Russia and Azerbaijan concluded a lease agreement that expires in 2012, but that it could be prolonged.

Russia has said it is ready to upgrade its early-warning radar in Gabala, which was proposed as an alternative to U.S. anti-missile plans, but Washington has called the facility obsolete.

The U.S. has said it wants to place a radar and a host of interceptor missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic to fend off what Washington sees as an impending missile threat from Iran and North Korea. However, Russia regards the plan as a threat to its national security.