Experts continue commenting on the tough statement by Dmitry Medvedev that Russia will respond to the American missile defense system in Europe with a series of military and diplomatic measures. The president confirmed his readiness to continue negotiations on the missile defense system, but only if Russia’s interests are considered. However, Washington stated it has no intention of retreating from the missile defense system in Europe, as it isn’t aimed against Russia.
Yesterday, the situation was commented on by the Russian envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin. According to him, initially Russia welcomed the phased-adaption plan of Barak Obama on a missile defense system for the USA. “However, during implementation of the plan, we sensed the difference between reality and the claimed objectives, the key point of which was limited abilities of interception of short and medium-range missiles from southern Europe in the future. We saw that another plan was being implemented. The first and second phases of the plan included foundation of an interception missiles base in Romania, then deployment of the US fleet in Spanish ports. Lastly, a radio location station in Turkey would be established. Such measures were agreed. But we couldn’t understood why the third and fourth phases of the adaptation plan are needed,” Rogozin said.
The third and fourth phases presuppose that by 2018 an interception missile base of the American missile defense system will be opened in Poland. By 2020 this base would be equipped with the more modern and long-range SM-3 missiles, which can attack not only short and medium-range missiles, but also inter-continental strategic missiles. And Russia considers this to be a threat to its nuclear potential.
Rogozin said that strategic dialogue between Russia and the US hasn’t been interrupted for a long time, and the Russian position has evolved. At the Russian-NATO summit in Lisbon in November 2010 Russia proposed a compromise. It meant common efforts in the sphere of security, the possibility of unifying information missile defense systems, space groups, and radio location stations. This plan was rejected by the American side and all other members of the NATO.
Despite multiple military technical advantages, NATO continues conducting a policy directed against the security of the Russian Federation. “Bases in Poland and the deployment of the American fleet in the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and possibly in the Barents Sea, threaten Russia's nuclear potential,” Rogozin explained.
That is why the president of Russia made such a statement. “Dmitry Medvedev responded to the phased-adaptation plan of the US with our own phased-adaptation plan. He clearly stated that military-technical measures will be taken, according to development of the American missile defense system in Europe,” Rogozin said.
He also stated that Russia will not permit an arms race. All the measures which were announced by the President of the Russian Federation are asymmetrical, economical, and they are all taken into account in the state armaments program, so they do not require any additional effort or expense from budget funds. He added that that this was not a pre-election move on his part.
