US-NATO missile plan hit by Russia
Source: Agencies |
October 7, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
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RUSSIA said yesterday that moves by the United States to create a NATO-wide missile shield could undermine its security, ramping up criticism of the project after a new deal that will see US anti-missile warships deployed on the Spanish coast.
The agreement with Spain "cannot fail to cause concern," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It said the deployment would represent a "significant increase in US anti-missile capabilities in the European zone."
US President Barack Obama's plan calls for an initial deployment of ship-based anti-ballistic missiles in the Mediterranean followed by ground-based systems in Romania, Poland and Turkey.
The system, which is expected to become fully operational in 2018, is designed to protect European NATO states and the US from missile attack from countries such as Iran, which is developing long-range missiles.
Obama pleased the Kremlin by scrapping his predecessor's plan for long-range interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar installation in the Czech Republic, a move that helped to improve US-Russia ties.
But Moscow says Obama's version could undermine Russia's security if it is capable of shooting down Russian nuclear missiles and has warned of a new arms race if its concerns are not dispelled.
"If events continue to develop this way ... the opportunity to turn missile defense from an area of confrontation into a subject of cooperation will be lost," the Foreign Ministry said.
Russia is demanding a legally binding guarantee that the system would not be aimed against Russia, something the United States is unlikely to provide because of strong opposition in Washington regarding any restrictions.
The US envoy to Russia expressed confidence this week that Russia and NATO would reach an agreement on missile defense cooperation - a goal laid out by the former foes in November 2010 - in time for an alliance summit next May.
But Russia warned that US deployment plans such as the agreement with Spain were undermining chances for a deal.
"We are seeing an ongoing effort to broaden the areas of deployment of US anti-missile facilities," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The agreement with Spain "cannot fail to cause concern," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It said the deployment would represent a "significant increase in US anti-missile capabilities in the European zone."
US President Barack Obama's plan calls for an initial deployment of ship-based anti-ballistic missiles in the Mediterranean followed by ground-based systems in Romania, Poland and Turkey.
The system, which is expected to become fully operational in 2018, is designed to protect European NATO states and the US from missile attack from countries such as Iran, which is developing long-range missiles.
Obama pleased the Kremlin by scrapping his predecessor's plan for long-range interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar installation in the Czech Republic, a move that helped to improve US-Russia ties.
But Moscow says Obama's version could undermine Russia's security if it is capable of shooting down Russian nuclear missiles and has warned of a new arms race if its concerns are not dispelled.
"If events continue to develop this way ... the opportunity to turn missile defense from an area of confrontation into a subject of cooperation will be lost," the Foreign Ministry said.
Russia is demanding a legally binding guarantee that the system would not be aimed against Russia, something the United States is unlikely to provide because of strong opposition in Washington regarding any restrictions.
The US envoy to Russia expressed confidence this week that Russia and NATO would reach an agreement on missile defense cooperation - a goal laid out by the former foes in November 2010 - in time for an alliance summit next May.
But Russia warned that US deployment plans such as the agreement with Spain were undermining chances for a deal.
"We are seeing an ongoing effort to broaden the areas of deployment of US anti-missile facilities," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
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