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US missile shield to 'keep
an eye' on Russian weapons: Moscow
AFP
Monday February 4, 2008
Russia's deputy foreign minister accused the United States on
Saturday of seeking to deploy an anti-missile shield in Europe
in order to "keep an eye" on Moscow's nuclear weapons.
"There is no good reason today to explain the need to deploy
this system, if it is not to keep an eye on the Russian deterrent
system," said Sergei Kislyak, cited by Interfax news agency.
Kislyak said the United States had in October offered the possibility
for Russian officers to be present at the proposed US anti-missile
shield sites in the Czech Republic and Poland.
But he said those proposals had never been formulated in writing.
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"Also, our specialists' presence at the sites carries no
automatic guarantee," the deputy minister said. "The
anti-missile shield can be quickly activated and targeted."
The United States is currently negotiating with Prague and Warsaw
on the possible installation of 10 interceptor missile sites in
Poland by 2012 and associated radar stations in the Czech Republic.
Washington says the shield is needed to defend against potential
attacks by what it calls rogue states such as Iran.
Russia strongly opposed the plans and considers them a grave
threat to its national security.
Amid concerns about the potential risks of hosting US missile
interceptors, Warsaw has been pressing Washington to help upgrade
the Polish armed forces, and notably to boost the country's air-defence
system.
Polish Defence Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in Washington
Friday he had secured an agreement in principle for aid to modernise
Polish air defences in return for Warsaw's hosting the controversial
US missile shield.
But he added that "a great deal of work" remains, while
his host, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, spoke of "some
progress" and "some momentum" on missile defence.
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INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
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