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US proposes Russian presence at Czech and Polish missile sites
Prague (AFP) Oct 23, 2007 The United States has offered to accept a Russian presence at planned US anti-missile sites in Poland and the Czech Republic, so as to address Moscow's objections to the shield, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday. Gates told reporters in Prague that both he and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had put the proposal to the Russians in a bid to increase the project's transparency. But he added that "nothing would be done" without Czech consent. "We would take that proposal to the Czech government before we went to the Russians with any specifics and we would not go forward without the support and without the consent of the Czech government," he said at a joint news conference with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. Topolanek declined to comment on the new proposal. The United States has outlined plans to base 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic to guard against possible missile attacks from "rogue" countries such as Iran and North Korea. Moscow has staunchly opposed the idea, claiming the system is also aimed against Russia. Gates said the United States might be willing build the installations but delay making them operational. "We would consider tying together the activation of the sites in Poland and the Czech Republic with definitive proof of the threat, in other words Iranian missile tests and so on," he said. Earlier Czech junior Foreign Minister Tomas Pojar said negotiations between Prague and Washington over the radar would likely drag on into 2008. "I do not think we will be able to conclude an agreement on the two texts by the end of the year," he told journalists. Related Links Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Japan tells Russia no backing down on missiles
Tokyo (AFP) Oct 23, 2007Japan said Tuesday it would not back down on building missile defences with the United States, rejecting Russia's charges that the shield aimed to weaken Moscow's influence in Asia. |
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