Spratt said the world has fewer missiles today than 20 years ago, fewer states are carrying out missile programs, and there are fewer enemy missiles targeted at the United States. He emphasized that fewer countries are developing long-range ballistic missiles than 20 years ago, and they are technically inferior. This fully applies to Iran.

Some observers attribute the delay in deploying the U.S. missile defense system in Europe to Russia's successful foreign policy. The Kremlin was adamant and did not believe the words about the system's "Iranian orientation." It strongly objected to its deployment, and strengthened its position with the promise of adequate asymmetrical measures against the Pentagon's action.

At the same time, Moscow proposed a joint system of global missile defense to Washington, which would counter missile threats, primarily those posed by medium- and short-range missiles possessed by more than 20 countries, including Russia's next-door neighbors. But this initiative has not received any response.

A statement to this effect was made by Lt. Gen. Yevgeny Buzhinsky, deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Main Department of International Military Cooperation, who is a permanent participant in the talks on the missile defense system with the United States. Moreover, he criticized those American politicians who believe Russia has reconciled itself to the deployment of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe. "These assertions are baseless," he said.

He told journalists since the Moscow meeting of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates and their Russian counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and Anatoly Serdyukov, in the 2-plus-2 format last March, the two sides have conducted three rounds of bilateral consultations on this issue, but without any positive results.

The Russian general said the U.S. proposals, which were called upon to alleviate Russian apprehensions regarding the U.S. missile system, are now being supplemented with all kinds of terms. The latter are reducing to naught even the minor concessions that were made to Russia in Moscow. "We welcomed the U.S. proposals because they testified to the U.S. understanding of our concerns, but nothing has changed since then," Buzhinsky said.

Moscow understands that even a new Democratic administration is unlikely to give up the idea of protecting the United States against all sorts of missiles, especially since the United States has the financial and economic resources to do so. Technologically, this may be an unfeasible task, but that is a question for the future.

As for today, it is becoming obvious that the United States will not start the deployment of its missile defense system under U.S. President George W. Bush. Indicatively, this issue was not on the agenda of his farewell trip to Europe.

(Nikita Petrov is a military commentator for RIA Novosti. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)

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