US missile shield could worsen Iran nuclear stand-off

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09/06/2007

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that United
States missile defense plans could worsen the Iranian nuclear stand-off
and urged Washington to freeze work on the issue with the Czech
Republic and Poland. Lavrov said that the United States should take
time to study a proposal by President Vladimir Putin made at the Group
of Eight (G8) summit this week to use an alternative radar station in
ex-Soviet Azerbaijan.
He went on to say that the US missile defense plans could
"seriously complicate" efforts by the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) to resolve the stand-off over Iran’s nuclear
program. "Work is under way within the framework of the United
Nations, the IAEA. We want this to fully clarify all aspects. The
deployment of the missile shield in Europe may complicate these
efforts, put in question Iran’s willingness to openly cooperate,"
Lavrov said. Information from the Gabala radar in Azerbaijan, which
Putin said could be used jointly by Russia and the United States, is
sufficient for the detection of current threats, Lavrov said.
"At the moment there is enough information on hypothetical threats
provided by the radar station in Azerbaijan. It is a reliable warning
station. "Joint use of information from the station would allow the
United States to refrain from deploying elements of the missile shield
in Europe and from deployment of its space components," he said. Russia
has strongly objected to the US plans to deploy a radar system in the
Czech Republic and linked interceptor missiles in Poland.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress