MOSCOW HOPES U.S. WILL LISTEN TO ARGUMENT AGAINST MISSILE SHIELD

RIA Novosti
13:52|21/ 03/ 2007

MOSCOW, March 21 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s foreign minister said Moscow
hoped the United States would listen to its appeal against Washington’s
plans to deploy a missile shield in Central Europe and the Caucasus.

The U.S. said in January it would place elements of its missile defense
system in the Czech Republic and Poland to counter possible attacks
from Iran or North Korea. Moscow has strongly criticized the move,
saying it threatened Russia’s security.

"We have specific proposals on how to ensure security in the region,"
Sergei Lavrov told Russian lawmakers. "Deploying the missile shield
to cover the Caucasus, Ukraine and other countries bordering on Russia
contradicts Russia’s approach to security."

Washington also said March 1 that it would place other elements of
its missile defense in the South Caucasus but did not specify which
of the three former Soviet countries it would choose – Armenia,
Azerbaijan or Georgia, with the latter being anxious to join NATO.

Lavrov called for a collective discussion of the issue, and accused
the U.S. of using a Cold War approach by uniting other countries
against the common "Soviet threat".

"We are facing a common threat now, but there is no more U.S.S.R.,
and it is unclear why the risk of Iran’s possible missile launches
must be countered with the missile shield," Lavrov said, adding that
Russian experts would like to meet with their American counterparts
over the issue.

The minister said security could be provided in a different way that
would not jeopardize Russia’s security, which has long been concerned
about the opening of NATO bases in former Communist-bloc countries
and ex-Soviet republics.

Lavrov said the U.S. would hopefully take into consideration the
opinion of some European countries opposed to the plans. Calls have
been made in Europe, including from Germany, for discussion on the
missile shield issue in the organizations where Poland and the Czech
Republic are members – NATO and the European Union.

The Russian minister also called on Ukrainian leaders, who have
been eager to join the discussion on the missile shield plans,
to respect the opinion of their people. Ukraine has recently been
seeking integration in NATO and the EU.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of State said Ukraine was one
of the countries with whom Washington was cooperating on the missile
shield, but people in the former Soviet nation, particularly in the
pro-Russian east of the country, have opposed any involvement.

"We believe the leadership of any country should take into account
the opinion of its people," Lavrov said.

Ukraine’s parliamentary speaker, Oleksandr Moroz, has said no missile
shield elements would be placed on Ukrainian territory.

Ukraine’s prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych, said Monday the issue
must be addressed at the negotiating table, adding that even NATO
member states had not reached a consensus on the matter.

"We are also ready to sit down at the negotiating table, and we do
have something to offer. We have space tracking systems positioned
on Ukrainian soil, which, incidentally are being used jointly with
Russia," he said.

Later Wednesday, Ukraine’s parliament will hear reports by the Defense
Ministry and Foreign Ministry about possible deployment of the missile
defense systems on Ukrainian soil. The government report was initiated
by the parliamentary faction of the Communist Party.