Belgium ? The U.S. will proceed with its plans for a missile defense system in Eastern Europe whether or not any agreement is reached on an alternative Russian proposal, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday in Brussels.

Gates dismissed any thoughts that Russia’s push for joint use of a radar station in Azerbaijan could replace the U.S. plan for radar and interceptors in Poland and the Czech Republic. And he expressed doubts that there could be any agreement with the Russians by next month, when President Bush is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Gates’ comments came as Russian officials called for a freeze on the U.S. plan, and reportedly issued threats against the planned sites in Poland and the Czech Republic. Gates said Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who was at the NATO meeting, did not comment on his remarks.