The United States and Russia are interested in creating a system against potential missile threats, US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a joint declaration on today.

The US and Russia want to "intensify" dialogue on missile defence issues and new US proposals on the issue could help ease Russian concerns, the declaration said.

Russia said it maintained its opposition to US plans to deploy elements of a missile shield in Poland and the Czech republic.

"We discussed the issue of missile defense. Both sides expressed their interest in creating a system for responding to potential missile threats in which Russia, and the United States and Europe will participate as equal partners."

"The Russian side has made clear that it does not agree with the decision to establish sites in Poland and the Czech Republic and reiterated its proposed alternative."

"Yet it (Russia) appreciates the measures that the United States has proposed and declared that if agreed and implemented such measures will be important and useful in assuaging Russian concerns."

"We agreed to intensify our dialogue after Sochi on issues concerning missile defense cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally," the declaration stated.