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U.S. Vows to Go Ahead with Missile Shield, Hopes for Russia's Cooperation
Topic: U.S. missile shield in Europe
“Let me be clear: NATO is not a threat to Russia nor is Russia a threat to NATO,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian affairs Phillip Gordon said on Thursday
© AFP 2013/ STRThe United States and NATO will proceed with its European missile defense program despite Russia’s concerns
© RIA Novosti. Mikhail FomichevWASHINGTON, May 11 (RIA Novosti)
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The United States and NATO will proceed with its European missile defense program despite Russia’s concerns while continuing to seek Moscow’s cooperation on the issue, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon said.
“NATO continues to seek cooperation with Russia on missile defense in order to enhance our individual capabilities to counter this threat,” Gordon said, addressing members the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday.
He added, however, that “while we strive for cooperation, we have also been frank in our discussions with Russia that we will continue to develop and deploy our missile defenses, irrespective of the status of missile defense cooperation with Russia.”
The United States and NATO say the shield will come into full operation by around 2020 and is to protect against “rogue” states such as Iran. But Russia insists the system is a threat to its national security and is seeking written guarantees from NATO that it will not be used against Russia’s strategic nuclear deterrent.
Russia’s military and political leadership have repeatedly warned their western partners that if talks fail, Moscow may take a series of measures including deployment of Iskander short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missiles in the Kaliningrad exclave.
Earlier this month, Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov did not rule out delivering preemptive strikes against NATO missile defense systems in Europe if current deployment plans go ahead.
Speaking at a missile defense conference in Moscow, he said “taking into account the destabilizing nature of the missile defense system... the decision on the pre-emptive use of available weapons will be made during an aggravation of the situation.”
Gordon reiterated on Thursday that the missile shield would not threaten Russia.
“Let me be clear: NATO is not a threat to Russia nor is Russia a threat to NATO,” he said.
He also added “it's no secret that there are issues on which the allies and Russia differ. Russia has been critical of NATO's operation in Libya; we also disagree fundamentally over the situation in Georgia.”
Russia recognized two breakaway Georgian republics, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as independent states, following a brief war with Georgia in August 2008. The United States and the European Union have strongly opposed the move.
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- SirkoTake Your Lie and Shove it......09:18, 11/05/2012Gordon yet another mouth piece! Are they not a work of art? Was it not Hitler who said that if you repeat a lie often enough then everybody will believe it. The Rat Fascist forget that some of us know are world history. Was NATO not created in 1948-49 to combat the spread of Communism during the Soviet era this precipitated the Cold War. The main objective however was diminish Russian global influence. So what has changed today with NATO? How pray tell has it in some miraculous way evolved into an humanitarian organization?
Just how are these so-called fictional 'rogue nations' a threat to the security of anyone. Let us say that the Iranians produce a nuclear weapon. At best it can act as a deterrent to their neighbours, but cannot possible threaten the power of countries such as the U.S. So, endemic are their placations, obfuscations, and speeches that the missiles are not a threat to Russia. This is iron clad proof that the a Great Lie is invasive and pervasive. Hence, sooner or later they will subliminally convince Russia that it is in her best interest to help built that which is designed to diminish her on the world scene and consequently nullify her existence as a viable state. If this seems far fetched one need simply ask, "Where is the Soviet Union??"- arsanlupinOh, please!15:07, 19/05/2012This from a psychotic Canadian, 4 generations removed from anything Russian. I doubt he’s ever even visited Russia; if he had, the Russians would probably have killed him out of sheer embarrassment. His blind anti-American bigotry is because he thinks it’s the fault of the USA his grandfather lost his job, 54 years ago. Everything else is simple ranting; a rational thought and a glass of water would probably kill him.
- yao.lonNATO ARE LIERS11:32, 11/05/2012RUSSIA SHOULD ATTACK THIS SHIELDS. THEY ARE TREATS, DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE US.
- free_mind50(no title)13:09, 11/05/2012Nato does this because they think that the Russian Federation has no adequate response, and the leaders of most European countries and beyond are in the hands and pay book which was accomplished with decades of money and resources during the cold war, by scaring those countries with the soviet threat.
These people do not care for the well being of their citizenry because the financial burden during the cold war was placed on the backs of minorities in the west and now it is the other minorities globally who foot the bill.
Where do people think the money goes with these financial scandal for the last two decades or more? They are being fleeced! Its that plain and simple to finance these adventurism projects.
The Russian Federation has made it clear that they have the means, will and capability for an above and beyond adequate response (to include a pre-emtive strike), without being goaded into a financial quagmire and trap like the soviet union and Nato need to think about he consequences and is it worth it.
The above is how the scenario will play out, just my observation, nothing more.- lmRussia wants to be treated as they are now why are we fussing?15:22, 11/05/2012I refuse to comment more about this subject. Russian foreign policy is so weak and non existence to be taken seriously by the West or any other country that is looking for help from Russia. All Russia has is a veto power without that zero. All Russia do is talk even the USA makes fun in their comments about Russia one can just read between the lines.
Russia/Kremlin has box itself into a corner of self induce inferiority. As we can all see the opposition themselves have fallen trap to this, which they are out on the streets out of envy portraying a civil society activeness, hoping to gain the West backing and attention.
Moscow riot police officers (OMON) used excessive force in policing the May 6 March of Millions rally, Russia's human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin said on Friday.
Again as we all can see even the Russian’s human rights ombudsman is a hypocrite without any shame.
Russia can have no effective foreign policy whiles their military stays in the barracks.
If Russia wanted to be treated different or to demand respect their foreign policy would been different.
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