Will continue to deploy missile defence in Europe, says US
WASHINGTON - Objections from Russia notwithstanding, the US has said that it along with NATO would go ahead with a European missile defence programme.
"While we strive for cooperation (from Russia), 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," US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon said.
According to RIA Novosti, Gordon was addressing members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday evening.
He told the committee that NATO was seeking cooperation with Russia on missile defense in order to "enhance our individual capabilities".
The United States and NATO have been wanting to launch a missile shield in Europe by 2020 to counter threats from "rogue" states like Iran.
But Russia has been objecting on the grounds that it poses threat to its national security. Moscow wants a written guarantees from NATO that it will not be used against Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent.
The US and Russia have been in talks with each other over the issue with Russian military and political leadership repeatedly warning western partners that if talks fail, Moscow may take a series of measures including deployment of Iskander short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian governed seaport exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.
The territory, the northern part of the former east Prussia, borders on NATO and EU members Poland and Lithuania, and is geographically separated from the rest of Russia.
Russia's Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov has earlier not ruled out delivering preemptive strikes against NATO missile defense systems in Europe if current deployment plans go ahead.
Gordon reiterated that the missile shield would not pose any threat to Russia."Let me be clear: NATO is not a threat to Russia nor is Russia a threat to NATO."
"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."
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