WORLD / Europe
Russia warns US on missile defense
(AP)
Updated: 2007-06-04 20:33
MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could take
"retaliatory steps" if Washington proceeds with plans to build a missile
defense system for Europe, including possibly aiming nuclear weapons at
targets on the continent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin presides a Cabinet meeting in the Moscow
Kremlin,in this Monday, March 26, 2007, file photo. [AP]
Speaking to foreign reporters days before he travels to Germany for the
annual summit with President Bush and the other Group of Eight leaders,
Putin assailed the White House plan to place a radar system in the Czech
Republic and interceptor missiles in neighboring Poland. Washington says
the system is needed to counter a potential threat from Iran.
In an interview released Monday, Putin suggested that Russia may respond
to the threat by aiming its nuclear weapons at Europe.
"If a part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States
appears in Europe and, in the opinion of our military specialists, will
threaten us, then we will have to take appropriate steps in response.
What kind of steps? We will have to have new targets in Europe," Putin
said, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin. These could be
targeted with "ballistic or cruise missiles or maybe a completely new
system" he said.
On Monday, Iran's top security official called the US plans for the
missile defense shield a "joke," saying Tehran's missiles do not have the
capability to reach Europe.
"Claims by US officials that installing a missile defense system in
Europe is aimed at confronting Iranian missiles and protecting Europe
against Iran is the joke of the year," Ali Larijani told the state-run
IRNA news agency.
"The range of Iran's missiles doesn't reach Europe at all," IRNA quoted
Larijani as saying in Iran's first public reaction to the plans. Larijani
is secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the country's
top security decision-making body.
Iran is known to possess a medium-range ballistic missile called the
Shahab-3 that has a range of at least 800 miles, capable of striking
Israel. In 2005, Iranian officials said they had improved the range of
the Shahab-3 to 1,200 miles.
Although Western experts believe Iran is developing the Shahab-4 missile
- thought to have a range between 1,200 and 1,900 miles, which would
enable it to hit much of Europe - Iran has not confirmed such reports.
Iran initially acknowledged in 1999 it was developing the Shahab-4, but
claimed it would be used only as a space launch vehicle for commercial
satellites.
Putin told reporters that he hoped US officials would change their minds
regarding the missile plan, warning that Moscow was preparing a
tit-for-tat response.
"If this doesn't happen, then we disclaim responsibility for our
retaliatory steps, because it is not we who are the initiators of the new
arms race, which is undoubtedly brewing in Europe," he said.
"The strategic balance in the world is being upset and in order to
restore this balance without creating an anti-missile defense on our
territory we will be creating a system of countering that anti-missile
system, which is what we are doing now," Putin said.
Last week, Russia tested a new ballistic missile capable of carrying
multiple nuclear warheads and a new cruise missile. While Western
analysts said the system has probably been under development for several
years, Putin has described the test as part of Moscow's response to the
US anti-missile plan.
Putin also suggested that in the absence of a real threat from Iranian
and North Korean missiles, the US plan could be an attempt to spoil
Russia's relations with Europe.
Relations between Moscow and Washington have soured in the past year. The
two former Cold War foes are at odds over Washington's missile plans,
over Russia's conflicts with former Soviet nations - including Ukraine,
Georgia and Estonia - and over US concerns of democratic backsliding in
Russia.
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