50 States to attend Moscow missile defense conference

Participants from 50 countries will attend a missile defense conference in Moscow on May 3-4, Chief of the Russian General Staff, Army Gen. Nikolai Makarov said. \"There will be more than 150 participants from 50 states,\" Makarov told journalists in Brussels today after the NATO-Russia Council meeting. \"NATO’s 28 member states have confirmed their participation.\" The conference, to be held by the Russian Defense Ministry, will also be attended by representatives of China, South Korea, Japan, the CIS and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) countries, according to Russia\'s News Agency (RIA Novosti). The proposed US-led missile shield in Europe remains a major source of tension between Russia and the United States, and the Kremlin has threatened to deploy tactical weapons close to Europe if it is not made full partner in the scheme.