Russia to respond to U.S. missile defense if its interests ignored: Putin

People's Daily Online
Posted: 2007-10-18 20:43:47

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that his country will respond to a U.S. plan to deploy anti-missile components in central Europe if its interests are ignored.

Russia's interests should be considered in the U.S. decision to deploy the missile shield and Washington was listening to Moscow's arguments, Putin said during an annual Q&A program broadcast live on the country's main TV channels and radio stations.

"I do not think that we should escalate tensions. Yet we have clearly told our partners that disregarding Russia's interests will lead to an appropriate reaction and measures to ensure the security of Russian citizens," he said.

"We're already planning the measures, and they will be implemented. The precise location of the prospective facilities is the prerogative of experts, primarily those from the Russian General Staff," he said.

The United States initiated the plan to deploy an anti-missile radar base in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland earlier this year while Moscow says the deployment is aimed against it, rather than Iran, as Washington has claimed.

Russia has offered that the NATO-U.S. anti-missile system can use its radars in Azerbaijan and southern Russia as a substitute to the proposed Czech site.

Source: Xinhua