Related News
New radar is Russian warning to US, NATO
Source: Agencies |
November 30, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
PRESIDENT Dmitry Medvedev officially commissioned a new military early warning radar yesterday, saying it shows Russia's readiness to respond to United States missile defense plans.
Medvedev added, however, that the massive radar in the Kaliningrad region could be integrated in a joint NATO-Russia missile shield if a cooperation agreement is reached.
"I hope that our Western partners will perceive this move as the first signal of our country's readiness to respond in kind to the threats the missile defense system is posing for our strategic nuclear forces," Medvedev said.
Russia sees the US missile defense plans in Europe as a security challenge, even though Washington says they are aimed at a potential Iranian missile threat and can't pose a threat to Russia's nuclear deterrent.
In last week's televised address to the nation, Medvedev threatened to deploy missiles to Kaliningrad and other areas of Russia aimed at US missile defense sites, if the US and NATO fail to reach a deal assuaging Russian concerns.
A year ago, Moscow agreed to consider NATO's proposal to cooperate on the missile shield, but the talks have run into a deadlock over how the system should be operated. With no progress on a shared missile shield, Medvedev insisted that Russia wants firm and specific guarantees from Washington that its future missile defense potential will not be directed against Russia. "We can't be satisfied with oral assurances that the system isn't aimed against Russia," he said.
Missile defense plans have been a key irritant in US-Russian relations since president Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" plans that scared Moscow in the 1980s.
The new radar is of the Voronezh-DM type, which Medvedev said is much cheaper than its Soviet-era predecessors.
Medvedev added, however, that the massive radar in the Kaliningrad region could be integrated in a joint NATO-Russia missile shield if a cooperation agreement is reached.
"I hope that our Western partners will perceive this move as the first signal of our country's readiness to respond in kind to the threats the missile defense system is posing for our strategic nuclear forces," Medvedev said.
Russia sees the US missile defense plans in Europe as a security challenge, even though Washington says they are aimed at a potential Iranian missile threat and can't pose a threat to Russia's nuclear deterrent.
In last week's televised address to the nation, Medvedev threatened to deploy missiles to Kaliningrad and other areas of Russia aimed at US missile defense sites, if the US and NATO fail to reach a deal assuaging Russian concerns.
A year ago, Moscow agreed to consider NATO's proposal to cooperate on the missile shield, but the talks have run into a deadlock over how the system should be operated. With no progress on a shared missile shield, Medvedev insisted that Russia wants firm and specific guarantees from Washington that its future missile defense potential will not be directed against Russia. "We can't be satisfied with oral assurances that the system isn't aimed against Russia," he said.
Missile defense plans have been a key irritant in US-Russian relations since president Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" plans that scared Moscow in the 1980s.
The new radar is of the Voronezh-DM type, which Medvedev said is much cheaper than its Soviet-era predecessors.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
