Thesis/Antithesis/Synthesis??????????? Bill. ============================================================= US missile defense could boost Sino-Russian alliance Friday, July 14, 2000 FAR EAST | The proposed U.S. missile defense shield could act as a measure to increase bilateral military and cooperation ties between China and Russia, Beijing's top disarmament diplomat said Thursday. The statement came off as a warning from Sha Zukang, head of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Arms Control and Disarmament, turned up the heat on Washington on the last day of a visit by U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen to Beijing. Next week, Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit China. Russian officials have said because of the U.S. missile defense plan, Moscow would seek to strengthen its burgeoning strategic relationships with Beijing. China and Russia have both strongly opposed NMD despite U.S. assurances that the system is not directed against them but at states with missile programs like Iraq, North Korea, and Iran. Sha said China was not seeking an arms race with the U.S. but that Beijing would have to take military steps necessary to defend its interests if Washington moved ahead with a NMD shield. "China will not sit on its hands doing nothing while seeing its security seriously damaged," Sha said. China, which has only about a dozen ICBMs capable of reaching U.S. lands, believes the U.S. missile shield is aimed at thwarting its small numbers of warheads. The U.S. system, initially, will be designed only to counter a small number of missiles. Russia, on the other hand, opposes the system based on provisions banning missile defenses outlined in the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty signed by the former Soviet Union and the U.S. Washington believes many of the provisions no longer apply today because the Soviet Union technically no longer exists as a nation. Russian officials, however, say the treaty is as valid today as when it was signed. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
