Bush's cold war begins??
Bill.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1177000/1177889.stm
Tuesday, 20 February, 2001, 11:11 GMT
Russia proposes Euro missile shield
The Russian Government has presented the visiting Nato secretary-general with
plans for a European alternative to the US national missile defence system it
so bitterly opposes. President Vladimir Putin pressed Lord Robertson of Nato
to consider Moscow's proposal seriously.
This is not a defence for the whole of European territory, only a part, the
main part of European territory
Russian Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov
Their talks focused on the planned US system, which Russia argues could spark
a new arms race, and the Alliance's eastward expansion. Moscow's own
proposals envisage the creation of a mobile anti-missile system, which could
be deployed quickly to counter any potential threat.
Existing agreements
But a senior defence official said the shield would only be used as a last
resort. The BBC Moscow correspondent says Russia is hoping to win the backing
of European Nato members. France and Germany have already expressed interest
in Moscow's proposed system, which includes:
Close assessment of existing and future missile threats
Averting such threats by joint political efforts
Deploying a mobile anti-missile force near a potential aggressor only as a
last resortSenior Defence ministry official Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov
said the plan would abide by existing arms agreements.
Cheaper than America's
Russia, with an annual defence budget of $6bn compared with the US's $300bn,
does not have the resources to develop a costly anti-ballistic missile
system. Western analysts say the Russian version may be a ploy to divide the
US from its European partners, who are lukewarm about the NMD.
Russian defence chiefs said last week that its missile shield will be much
cheaper and more practical than the US scheme. Arriving in Moscow on Monday
night, Lord Robertson said that Russia and Nato were building a
"crisis-resistant relationship" which would allow them to deal with the
"tricky issues" in the world. Relations between Nato and Russia suffered
badly during Nato's bombing of Yugoslavia two years ago. BBC Moscow
correspondent Steve Rosenberg says Lord Robertson's two-day visit comes at a
time when Russia is adopting an increasingly hard line with the West.
Show of strength
Our correspondent says Russia has been trying to prove to the world it is
still a force to be reckoned with. It has sent nuclear-capable bombers close
to foreign airspace during exercises, and launched three strategic missiles.
Russian defence chiefs have warned of retaliatory steps if Nato expands too
close to Russia's borders. In an attempt to provide an alternative to NMD Mr
Putin last year offered to work with the US on a defence shield using smaller
tactical rather than strategic missiles to shoot down incoming threats.
Russia is the only country in the world with a functioning ballistic missile
defence system, which protects the Russian capital, Moscow.
