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RUSSIA MUST PUNISH STATES HOSTING U.S. MISSILE SHIELD - ANALYST
RIA Novosti
17:32 | 09/ 07/ 2008
Russia must use economic and political means, and military ties
with Asia, to punish European states that agree to host U.S. missile
defense elements, a Russian political analyst said on Wednesday.
Commenting on a U.S.-Czech deal signed on Tuesday on deploying a
missile tracking radar, Col. Gen. Leonid Ivashov, the head of the
Moscow-based Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said: "Russia should
not limit itself to statements. We must have a plan, adopted by
the Russian Security Council, setting out measures on the economic,
political and military cooperation levels."
Moscow has strongly opposed the possible deployment by the U.S. of
10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an accompanying radar in the
Czech Republic as a threat to its security and international nuclear
deterrence.
Washington says the defenses are needed to deter a possible strike
from Iran.
The U.S.-Czech missile shield treaty has yet to be ratified by the
Czech parliament and signed by the Czech president. The country's
opposition is currently holding mass rallies around the country against
the placement of an early warning radar near the capital, Prague.
Polish-American talks on Washington's plans to place a missile base
in Poland have stalled. Poland's prime minister said last Friday that
his country was not satisfied with the terms offered by the U.S.,
but was ready for further dialogue.
Ivashov, who headed the main directorate for military cooperation
at the Russian Defense Ministry in 1996-2001, told RIA Novosti:
"On the political level, we must suspend our cooperation with NATO,
because it brings us nothing but harm."
As an alternative, he suggested that Russia start negotiations with
China, India and other countries to form a global alliance against
the U.S. missile shield in Europe.
"A relevant decision must be made, at least in the framework of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)," Ivashov said.
The CSTO is a regional security organization comprising Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
On the economic level, Russia must restrict imports and exports from
and to countries which allow the placement of U.S. missile defense
systems on their territory.
"Bilateral relations with these countries as a whole must be limited,"
Ivashov said.
"Russia must also warn the European countries that... in case
of a potential military confrontation... capitals, large cities,
and industrial and communications centers of the countries hosting
elements of the U.S. missile shield will inevitably become primary
targets of nuclear strikes," the general said.
"They should know that we are holding them in our sights," he added.
RIA Novosti
17:32 | 09/ 07/ 2008
Russia must use economic and political means, and military ties
with Asia, to punish European states that agree to host U.S. missile
defense elements, a Russian political analyst said on Wednesday.
Commenting on a U.S.-Czech deal signed on Tuesday on deploying a
missile tracking radar, Col. Gen. Leonid Ivashov, the head of the
Moscow-based Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said: "Russia should
not limit itself to statements. We must have a plan, adopted by
the Russian Security Council, setting out measures on the economic,
political and military cooperation levels."
Moscow has strongly opposed the possible deployment by the U.S. of
10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an accompanying radar in the
Czech Republic as a threat to its security and international nuclear
deterrence.
Washington says the defenses are needed to deter a possible strike
from Iran.
The U.S.-Czech missile shield treaty has yet to be ratified by the
Czech parliament and signed by the Czech president. The country's
opposition is currently holding mass rallies around the country against
the placement of an early warning radar near the capital, Prague.
Polish-American talks on Washington's plans to place a missile base
in Poland have stalled. Poland's prime minister said last Friday that
his country was not satisfied with the terms offered by the U.S.,
but was ready for further dialogue.
Ivashov, who headed the main directorate for military cooperation
at the Russian Defense Ministry in 1996-2001, told RIA Novosti:
"On the political level, we must suspend our cooperation with NATO,
because it brings us nothing but harm."
As an alternative, he suggested that Russia start negotiations with
China, India and other countries to form a global alliance against
the U.S. missile shield in Europe.
"A relevant decision must be made, at least in the framework of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)," Ivashov said.
The CSTO is a regional security organization comprising Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
On the economic level, Russia must restrict imports and exports from
and to countries which allow the placement of U.S. missile defense
systems on their territory.
"Bilateral relations with these countries as a whole must be limited,"
Ivashov said.
"Russia must also warn the European countries that... in case
of a potential military confrontation... capitals, large cities,
and industrial and communications centers of the countries hosting
elements of the U.S. missile shield will inevitably become primary
targets of nuclear strikes," the general said.
"They should know that we are holding them in our sights," he added.