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U.S. rejects Russian overture

— PHOTO: AFP

Reaching out: Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev at an interview at the presidential residence in Gorki, outside Moscow, on Wednesday.

TALLINN (Estonia): U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates has rejected a Russian suggestion that both countries scrap plans to place missile systems in Eastern Europe.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a televised interview with French journalists broadcast on Thursday that Moscow was willing to reconsider deploying Iskander missiles in its westernmost region of Kaliningrad if Washington did not place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a missile-tracking radar in the Czech Republic.

Mr. Gates said the proposal was not acceptable to the U.S. “Quite frankly I’m not sure what the missiles in Kaliningrad would be for,” said Mr. Gates, adding: “After all, the only real emerging threat to Russia’s periphery is Iran, and I don’t think the Iskander missile has the range to get there from Kaliningrad.”

Mr. Medvedev announced Moscow’s intention to deploy the missiles a day after the U.S. presidential election. It was “hardly the welcome a new American administration deserves,” said Mr. Gates, adding: “Such provocative remarks are unnecessary and misguided.”

Mr. Gates said Russia has nothing to fear from a defensive missile shield in Eastern Europe. U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has said it would be prudent to “explore the possibility of deploying missile defence systems in Europe,” in light of what he called active efforts by Iran to develop ballistic missiles as well as nuclear weapons.

Iran said on Wednesday that it had successfully test-fired a new generation of long range surface-to-surface missile — one that could easily strike as far away as south-eastern Europe with greater precision than earlier models.

The current U.S. administration argues the limited missile system would protect Europe against potential future attacks by Iranian long-range missiles. Moscow dismisses these assertions, saying the system could eliminate Russia’s nuclear deterrent or spy on its military installations. — AP

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U.S. rejects Russian overture

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