In their efforts to establish a cooperative relationship around a controversial upgrade to a US missile defense system, Russia and US may create a joint data center that will facilitate information sharing between the two nations, according to a report by Bloomberg.

US defense secretary Robert Gates said a joint data center was a possibility during an address to Russian military officers at a naval academy in Saint Petersburg Monday. "We've disagreed before, and Russia still has uncertainties," Gates was quoted as saying. "However, we've mutually committed to resolving these difficulties."

Russia has been opposing planned enhancements to the missile-defense system, saying the upgrade would put it at a military disadvantage. US, however, has been saying the system was meant to defend against potential attacks from Iran.

Russia has proposed to collaborate with NATO on a joint missile defense system.

The two nations have made plans for a joint data center before, but the plans never came to fruition. In 2002, an agreement was made to create a center that would facilitate sharing of information about missile launches detected around the world, according to Bloomberg. This plan was not implemented.