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One European NATO member not to take part in Moscow missile defence conference.

We sent invitations to 50 states, Koshelev said on Friday

MOSCOW, April 6 (Itar-Tass) —— One of European NATO member countries will not take part in an international conference on missile defence the Russian Defence Ministry plans to hold in Moscow on May 3-4, head of the Ministry’s International Cooperation Department Sergei Koshelev said on Friday.

“We sent invitations to 50 states and received positive replies. So far, only one state will not take part,” Koshelev said and added “it is a European NATO member.”

According to Koshelev, about 40 experts from non-government organizations were also invited. “We received much more replies that we had hoped. We will try to satisfy as much as possible of such applications.”

“As far as I understand, these countries are working to determine the level of their participation,” he went on. “Our position is as follows: we want delegations to be led by officials at the rank of at least deputy defence minister.”

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