Defense
Moscow Recaps Its Missile Defense Posture
Topic: U.S. missile shield in Europe
Moscow Recaps Its Missile Defense Posture
© RIA Novosti. Mikhail FomichevHELSINKI, August 20 (RIA Novosti)
Related News
Putin Pessimistic on Missile Defense Problem- Putin, Obama Agree to Continue Dialogue on Missile Defense
- Putin: Russia Ready to Respond to U.S. Missile Defense
- NATO to Provide $1Bln for Missile Defense Infrastructure
- US State Dept. Urges Russia to Cooperate on Missile Defense
Multimedia
Moscow warned on Monday that the implementation of the European missile defense project could become a throwback to the Cold War era.
The United States says the shield is designed to protect against “rogue states” such as Iran and North Korea.
“Any unilateral and unlimited buildup of the missile capability by one state or a group of states would lead to the preservation of Cold War hangovers, damaging strategic stability in violation of all the OSCE members' obligations not to strengthen their security at the expense of others,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
The project is a test of Western sincerity about its commitment to equal security in Europe, he said, reiterating Russia’s demand for “legally binding guarantees” that the system will not be used against it.
These guarantees should be verifiable, he stressed.
Russia’s position on missile defense in Europe
Negotiations between Russia and NATO member states on the U.S.-led missile defense project have deadlocked over the West's reluctance to give Moscow such guarantees.
The United States scrapped plans in September 2010 for an anti-ballistic-missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland. Moscow welcomed the move, and then-President Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia would drop plans to deploy Iskander-M tactical missiles in its Kaliningrad Region, which borders NATO members, Poland and Lithuania.
Last year, however, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Washington's plans to deploy a missile interceptor site in Poland by 2018.
Add to blog
You may place this material on your blog by copying the link.
Publication code:
Preview:
Send by e-mail
Digg
Seed Newsvine
Leave a comment
- lorenzoNo stupidity of wars22:57, 20/08/2012US with its Western allies should learn to spread harmony and peace with respect for all human beings...instead of installing missiles and other war stuff. They call themselves 'Christians' but have no traits of Jesus in them. They are always promoting hatred and wars all over the world...It is about time they become a good human beings and follow Jesus teachings.
- jgGuarantees worthless14:09, 21/08/2012I don't understand why the Russian government keeps asking about guarantees. Surely, such guarantees would be worthless if Russian/US or Russian/NATO relations decayed to a point where we considered lobbing missiles at each other? Additionally, the missile shield systems are most likely highly automated and would shoot down ANY incoming missile, regardless of it's origin.
I would have thought a better strategy for Russia would be to tell the USA that they will alter the approach of their nuclear deterrent and other weaponry, to mitigate the missile shield. I guess this would mean deployments in Kaliningrad and submarine based systems.
