MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia will have to
respond to the expansion of the U.S. missile system in Europe not only through
diplomatic demarches, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
"The radar station in the Czech Republic can 'screen'
virtually the entire European part of our country, while the long-range
antimissiles to be deployed in Poland do not have, and won't have in the
foreseeable future, any other targets than the Russian intercontinental
ballistic missiles," the ministry said in a statement.
"It is obvious to us, and the American leadership
does not deny this, that the so-called third launch area of the U.S. missile
defense system in Europe will be expanded and modernized. Russia in this case
will have to respond and will not limit itself to diplomatic demarches," it
said.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her
Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski signed an agreement in Warsaw Wednesday to
deploy parts of the U.S. global missile shield in the East European country.
The United States and the Czech Republic have already
signed a bilateral treaty last month allowing a U.S. radar base on Czech soil
despite protests from both within the Czech Republic and Russia.
Moscow has consistently expressed its opposition to
the U.S. missile shield in Europe, saying it threatens its national security.
However, the United States says the shield is designed to thwart missile attacks
by what it calls "rogue states," including Iran.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reiterated last
Friday that the deployment of the missile shield in Europe is targeted against
Russia.
Poland, U.S. formally sign anti-missile shield agreement
WARSAW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski signed an agreement here Wednesday to deploy parts of the U.S. global missile shield in the East European country.
Poland's basic goals had been achieved during prior negotiations, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said after the deal was signed. Full story
