NATO SEC. GEN. CRITICIZES RUSSIA’S STANCE ON U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE PLANS IN EASTERN EUROPE
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.09.2007 18:45 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
criticized Russia’s stance on U.S. missile defense plans in Eastern
Europe.
"We should continue our discussion with Russia. Let me speak
openly. Russia’s sharp criticism of U.S. plans attached a
counterproductive and useless coloring to the NATO-Russia dialogue,"
he said.
"Russia’s warnings addressed to our Czech and Polish allies are
inappropriate in today’s Europe," he said.
The Alliance head considers that Russia’s "very lour rhetoric diverts
us from the key issue – how to ensure our security in the epoch of
rocket technologies."
At the same time he expressed readiness to attend to Russia’s concerns
about the missile defense shield.
He described Russian President’s proposal on joint use of Azeri radar
base as a "pragmatic signal."
"I would not judge the specific advantages of this proposal but I
think it point out to three nuances.
First, Russia recognized the existence of potential rocket menace;
second, Russia seeks for joint solutions; third, pragmatic compromise
on missile defense shield can be found," the NATO Sec. Gen. said.
He gave a positive estimation to the Russia-NATO cooperation for
securing the theatre missile defense (TMD) capability," RIA Novosti
reports.