Russia warns NATO about missile shield

Russia's Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/193067.html

Russia has warned the United States and its NATO allies against plans to extend the deployment of missile defense systems in the north European waters, calling them provocative.

At a Tuesday press conference in Norway, Russia's ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin slammed the alliance's failure to guarantee that American warships equipped with anti-missile systems would not be deployed in the waters of north Europe, AFP reported.

"The very fact of deploying US military missile defense infrastructure in the northern seas is a real provocation with regard to the process of nuclear disarmament," said Rogozin.

Moscow fears that the anti-missile system would undermine its nuclear deterrent, and thus has been seeking legally binding guarantees to check it.

"Why is no one giving guarantees that a US fleet equipped with Aegis interceptor systems won't be deployed in the northern seas?" he added.

The Russian government has long opposed NATO's disputed plan of deploying an anti-missile shield in Europe, arguing that the would-be system in its "back yard” is not to secure Washington's European allies but is effectively aimed at Russia.

"I'm sure that if there were no such plans in reality, then I would have been given a very definite negative answer. I didn't get any firm answer to this question," the Russian envoy pointed out.

Moscow has also called for sharing control of any anti-missile shield, saying the aim of the so-called defense shield is to encircle Russia. Washington refuses to share the responsibility for protecting NATO member states with any third party.

NATO officials estimate that the missile shield project will not be completed before 2018.

NATO rejects Russian missile proposal

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/183607.html

NATO has flatly turned down a Russian proposal on the Western military alliance's plans to deploy a disputed missile system in Eastern Europe.

Moscow has indicated its willingness to drop its opposition to the installation of the missile system if NATO provides legal guarantees that the missiles would not be used against Russia.

"The most promising path towards greater trust is more discussion, more political debate and exchange,” NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in an interview with Interfax news agency released on Tuesday, AFP reported.

Rasmussen ruled out “complicated legal formulas which would be difficult to agree on and ratify” between the NATO member states and the Kremlin.

The refusal comes ahead of a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels on Wednesday where Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov will seek to convince his Western counterparts to sign a legally binding cooperation treaty.

Moscow wants details about the maximum amount and types of interceptor missiles, their speed as well as locations for missiles and radars to be specified in the treaty.

In 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev talked with NATO leaders at a summit in Lisbon, Portugal, in a landmark meeting held to end long-standing hostilities between the two sides.

But the Western bloc rejected Medvedev's idea of dividing the European continent into sectors of military responsibility, insisting the two sides should keep their systems separate.

In his Interfax interview, Rasmussen reiterated that the two sides should not merge their systems.

"The reason is simple -- NATO cannot outsource to non-members collective defense obligations which bind its members," he argued.

Rasmussen, however, stressed that NATO's eastward expansion did not threaten Russia's interests, but on the contrary "the process itself has been beneficial to Euro-Atlantic security, including that of the Russian Federation."

"I can also assure you -- and I have said it publicly on many occasions -- that NATO will never attack Russia and we are convinced that Russia sees the alliance in the same light," he said.

Russian minister cancels visit to Israel

Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/181407.html

Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu has delayed a visit to Israel following Moscow's expulsion of Tel Aviv's military attaché to the country for 'espionage.'

Shoigu informed his Israeli counterpart Matan Vilnai about the indefinite postponement of his trip, saying the decision was made because of a 'change in his schedule,' AFP reported on Monday.

He had been scheduled to visit Tel Aviv on Sunday to sign cooperation accords.

Israeli Air Force Colonel Vadim Leiderman was arrested during a May 12 meeting with Russian officials. Tel Aviv's military attaché was then questioned and told to leave the country immediately.

On Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that he had been 'caught red-handed' trying to receive 'secret information' on Russia's arms deals with Arab states.

However, Leiderman's diplomatic immunity has prevented Moscow from leveling charges against him.

Ynetnews, the website of the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, recently referred to "hectic efforts by Israel to appease Moscow and stop the already-grave diplomatic incident from escalating further.”

"Israel has substantial political and security interests in Russia and is now concentrating on damage control," the report said.

Russia warns west of new Cold War

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/180571.html

Russia has warned the West of another Cold War if it fails to acknowledge the country's concerns regarding a planned missile system based in Europe.

On Wednesday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that his country would take “retaliatory measures” if the United States would continue with the construction of the so-called missile defense system, AFP reported.

“We [Russia] would then be talking about developing the offensive potential of our nuclear capabilities; this would be a very bad scenario. It would be a scenario that throws us back into the Cold War era,” the Russian president said during a press conference.

Medvedev warned of an early pull out from the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), if the deployment of the missile shield would go forward in the absence of Russia.

Moscow's primary concern is that the missile system would be used against Russia rather than countering incoming missiles, as claimed by the US.

"We would like to see missile defense develop under clear rules," said Medvedev.

Moscow has long opposed the deployment of NATO missile facilities, calling it, a security threat.

Despite asking Russia to express its concerns regarding the missile shield at the meeting, NATO has denied Russia's formal role in the operation of the missile plans.

Even though Russia considers the US missile plans as a potential threat to its security, it has agreed to consider NATO's proposal to cooperate on the missile shield but insists that the system should be run jointly. NATO has rejected the Russian proposal.

The START has helped improve relations between Moscow and Washington, but Russia continues to view US missile plans with suspicion.

Russia expels Israel's military attaché

File photo shows Israel's embassy in Moscow

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/180613.html

Russia has expelled Israel's military attaché to Moscow over alleged espionage charges, saying he has passed sensitive information to Tel Aviv.

Air Force Colonel Vadim Leiderman was arrested during a May 12 meeting with Russian officials, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported on Wednesday.

He was then questioned and told to leave the country immediately.

The newspaper called the arrest a violation of the official's diplomatic immunity. The protection has prevented Moscow from leveling charges against him.

Israel's military has claimed Leiderman has been subjected to “a thorough examination, which found that espionage claims are unfounded.”

"The past few days have seen hectic efforts by Israel to appease Moscow and stop the already grave diplomatic incident from escalating further, but the Russians seem adamant to exhaust all the legal measures at their disposal against the officer,” Israel's Ynetnews website reported.

"Israel has substantial political and security interests in Russia and is now concentrating on damage control," the report said.

Russia warns US over missile system

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/180228.html

Russia has warned that it reserves the right to pull out of the new START arms reduction treaty as the US has not provided guarantees over its missile shield in Europe.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday that Russia was concerned about the US refusal to provide legally binding guarantees that its missile system would not threaten Russia's security.

"The Americans are insisting on the importance of launching practical cooperation without any preconditions," he was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

He added that Russia "cannot start cooperation on specific projects without legal guarantees that a future system will not be directed against our security interests."

"The new START [Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty] may become hostage to the US approach," Ryabkov told lawmakers during parliamentary hearings.

He said that Moscow was disappointed by a negative US reaction to its demand.

Russia, which considers the US missile plans as a potential threat to its security, has agreed to consider NATO's proposal to cooperate on the missile shield, but insisted that the system should be run jointly. NATO has rejected Russia's demand.

A landmark arms control treaty called new START has helped improve relations between Moscow and Washington, but Russia continues to view US missile plans with suspicion.