Over the recent missile defense consultations held in Washington, the U.S. negotiators presented to Russia’s counterparts intelligence justifying deployment of missile defense components in Europe.
Photo: Valery Levitin
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U.S. Justify Missile Defense Deployment in Europe by Intelligence
Over the recent missile defense consultations held in Washington, the U.S. negotiators presented to Russia’s counterparts intelligence confirming the threat to their country and justifying deployment of missile defense components in Europe, The Associated Press reported.
The missile defense consultations that were held in Washington Monday and Tuesday were the first get-together of Russia’s-U.S. taskforce set up under agreement of presidents of the United States and Russia and committed to sort out most combustible issue of stationing interceptors and a radar in Eastern Europe.
The U.S. negotiators attempted to play down Moscow fears that these installations would threaten nuclear deterrence forces of Russia. According to the Assistant Secretary of State John Rood, who was the U.S. chief negotiator at the recent talks, the consultations made Russia better understand why the United States is developing its missile defense potential.
The delegation of Russia headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislyak provided details of alternative proposal on joint use of Qabala radar that Russia leases from Azerbaijan. President Vladimir Putin voiced this offer in early June.
The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected the U.S. assurances that planned missile defense installations in former satellites of ex-Soviet Union in Eastern Europe pose no threat to Russia and, in line with the Kremlin’s policy, the negotiators emphasized inadmissibility of stationing interceptors until Iran’s technical ability to launch nuclear missiles is proved for sure.
www.kommersant.com
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