Russia denies plans to reopen Cuba radar

MOSCOW, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The Kremlin Tuesday dismissed the idea that Russia's military was planning to re-establish a radar base on Cuba.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the so-called Lourdes facility, which was shut down in 2001, would remain closed.

"This matter is not under consideration," Lavrov said at a news conference with Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik.

The RIA Novosti said Lourdes base outside Havana had been used to monitor U.S. government and commercial communications emanating from microwave towers, satellite downlinks and various radio sources.

RIA Novosti said some Russian military experts recently suggested that Lourdes could be re-activated as a response to NATO expansion and U.S. plans to establish missile-defense facilities in Eastern Europe.