"We are continuing the dialogue with them," Gates told reporters after a meeting with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov on the sidelines of an international security forum in Munich.

"Obviously Minister Ivanov and I talked about it. I think that regardless of what's said in public there is still an interest in pursuing the dialogue," Gates said.

"Each time we do this we have an opportunity to try and clarify what we've said and proposed," he added.

The United States is currently negotiating with Warsaw and Prague on the possible installation of 10 interceptor missile sites in Poland by 2012 and associated radar stations in the Czech Republic.

Washington says the shield is needed to ward off potential attacks by what it calls "rogue states", notably Iran.

Russia strongly opposes the plans, considering them a grave threat to national security in its Cold War-era stamping ground, and has been ratcheting up its anti-shield rhetoric.

On Friday, NATO defence ministers meeting in Lithuania demanded that Russia tone down its outbursts.

In October, Gates and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Moscow to try to convince Russia that the shield plan is not directed against it.

"I think there is a concern on the part of the Russians that what Secretary Rice and I put on the table in Moscow was diluted in the written version that went back to the Russians," said Gates.

Both sides have pledged to meet again in coming months to try to tackle the issue.

Related Links
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
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All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

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