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US must reach out to Russia on missile defense: Obama
Washington (AFP) Sept 29, 2009 President Barack Obama said Tuesday it was important to work with Russia on a new generation missile shield, following his abandonment of an earlier US system that Moscow opposed, in Eastern Europe. His comments came hours after Russia asked for guarantees from Washington that the new plan, targeting Iranian short- and medium-range missiles, would not threaten its own security. "It is important for us to reach out to Russia and explore ways in which the missile defense configurations that we envision could potentially lead to further collaboration," Obama said after talks with NATO secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen. "We want to improve generally not only US-Russian relations, but also NATO-Russian relations, while making absolutely clear that our commitments to all of our allies in NATO is sacrosanct," Obama said. Earlier, Russia's NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin said at a press conference in Moscow that the Kremlin wanted guarantees the new US system "only concerns short- and long-range missiles." "If this system is of a mobile nature, where are the guarantees... that this system will not float up to us, to our northern seas or the Baltic?" The new plan announced by Obama envisions a mobile system of sea-based interceptors that would protect against short- and medium-range missiles from Iran, instead of Tehran's as yet to be developed long-range arsenal. Russia had strongly opposed an earlier US plan that would have seen missile defense facilities deployed in Eastern Europe. The earlier plan was strongly backed by Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, and Russia welcomed the Obama administration's decision to scrap it. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Leaders Take New Missile Defense Plan To US CongressWashington DC (SPX) Sep 28, 2009 President Barack Obama's decision to restructure a previous missile defense plan designed to protect Europe from a possible ballistic missile attack from Iran provides a more effective, flexible system that will take less time to implement, senior Pentagon officials said on Capitol Hill. "We are confident that our new approach represents a dramatic improvement over the program of old," ... read more |
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