The new cold war: Russia's missiles to target Europe

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The new cold war: Russia's missiles to target Europe

Kremlin warning on eve of G8 as gulf widens over US defence shield plans

Luke Harding in Moscow
Monday June 4, 2007
The Guardian

Russian president Vladimir Putin
The Russian president Vladimir Putin. Photograph: Mikhail Metzel/AP

President Vladimir Putin yesterday declared that a new arms race and cold war with the west had begun and announced that Russia would retaliate against US missile defence plans in Europe by pointing its missiles at European cities.

In a hawkish speech that sets the stage for a frosty G8 summit this week, Mr Putin launched an extraordinary broadside at the west over missile defence, Kosovo and democratic standards.

Mr Putin will meet George Bush, Tony Blair and other world leaders on Wednesday in the German resort of Heiligendamm for their annual meeting. In an interview released last night he made his most strident attack yet on western power.

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He also indicated that he would not shy away from fights with the German chancellor Angela Merkel on human rights and harshly accused Britain of "politicising" the murder of the Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko.

On missile defence, Mr Putin said that if the Bush administration installed elements of a missile shield in eastern Europe, Russia would retaliate by training nuclear missiles on European targets. Russia has not specifically aimed its missiles at Europe since the end of the cold war but, asked if it might do so again if the US missile shield went ahead, Mr Putin said: "Of course we are returning to those times. It is clear that if a part of the US nuclear capability turns up in Europe, and, in the opinion of our military specialists will threaten us, then we are forced to take corresponding steps in response."

"What will those steps be? Naturally, we will have to have new targets in Europe."

He said: "We want to be heard, we want our position to be understood. But if that does not happen, we lift from ourselves any responsibility for the steps we take in response, because we are not the ones who are initating the arms race in Europe."

Mr Putin's comments, in an interview with selected media from G8 countries at his dacha outside Moscow, appear calculated to inflict maximum panic among western leaders ahead of the G8 summit.

The comments are the most savage assault on the west since the cold war and follow Mr Putin's blistering attack on the Bush administration in February in Munich, unproductive talks with the US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, Russia's alleged cyber-attack on neighbouring Estonia and last week's announcement that Russia had successfully test-fired a new and deadly intercontinental missile equipped with multiple warheads.

In a further jibe at the US, Mr Putin said no one country should be allowed to dictate its views to others. "Certain participants in the international arena assume that their opinion is the ultimate truth. That, naturally, does not help create an atmosphere of trust."

Mr Putin also underlined the gulf between Russia and the west over the future of Kosovo and its possible split from Serbia."We hear only one answer. That we need to hurry. But hurry where? What is happening that requires us to be in such a rush?"

In comments likely to lead to icy exchanges when Mr Putin meets Mr Blair at the G8, the Russian leader accused Britain of "politicising" the murder of the former Russian security service agent Alexander Litvinenko, who died in a London hospital after being poisoned with polonium 210. Last night Mr Putin said the affair was being whipped up by Russian emigres given refuge in London after fleeing prosecution in Russia.

The Bush administration insists that planned missile interceptors and radars in Poland and the Czech Republic are no threat to Moscow. The Pentagon claims the system is designed to shoot down missiles from Iran and North Korea. Mr Putin has repeatedly said he does not believe the US. Neither Iran nor North Korea has missiles capable of striking the US, he said, accusing the US administration of upsetting the strategic balance of forces in Europe.

"We are being told the anti-missile defence system is targeted against something that does not exist. Doesn't it seem funny to you?" Mr Putin said. "The strategic balance in the world is being upset and in order to restore this balance without creating an anti-missile defence on our territory, we will be creating a system of countering that anti-missile system."

qpicanto SG

Thursday June 21, 2007

Visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ruling out US claim on Iran threat as cause for plan to put up a missile defense shield in Czech and Poland republics, said, "It is a threat against Russia and China."

Speaking on the sidelines of the Persian Gulf Littoral States Foreign Ministers Conference in Tehran, the Russian top diplomat made the comment in reply to a reporter's question on President Vladimir Putin's proposal for establishment of a shared US-Russian missile site in Azerbaijan Republic, instead.

He added, "You are under the influence of the Western
propagation."

According to IRNA Political Desk reporter, Lavrov added at the press conference, "As President Putin mentioned during his meeting with the Azeri President, we feel absolutely no threat from Iran's side."

Stressing that the Russian officials have repeatedly announced their strategic and technical status and calculations in that respect, Lavrov reiterated, "There is no threat posed by Iran at all."

Referring to his talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki, Lavrov expressed hope that his explanations in that respect would lead to Iran's thorough understanding of the matter."

During the press conference a reporter asked about Mottaki's viewpoint on the US plan to set up a missile defense shield in Europe.

He replied, "I asked Mr. Lavrov whether he really believes the US claims that the project is aimed at halting Iran threat, or not. His reply was negative, adding that the project poses a serious threat against Russia and China."
The Iranian FM added, "We too, have the same idea, and that is a cause for serious concern."

Mottaki considered the US move as a sign for Washington's intention to re-start the cold war, arguing, "Our proposal to those countries is to declare seriously that the cold war era is over, and to spend their heavy military budgets at the service of their nations' well being."
Mottaki added, "We believe the bitter experience of the recent years must have proved the fact that resorting to force, imposing wars, and threatening the others yield no fruit for the oppressive powers."

The Iranian Foreign Minister added, "Anyone that has doubts in this respect can take a trip to our region and visit Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Middle East."
Mottaki added, "We hope the worrying matters would be resolved in the favor of the world nations during the meeting between the Russian and US presidents."

Lavrov, too, pointed to a number of matters of great importance after Mottaki's comments, including, "We do not intend to get engaged in another arms race with the United States."

He added, "Russia has let all involved sides know frankly its viewpoints about the US proposed missile defense shield in Europe." Pointing to the talks between the Russian and Azeri presidents, he said, "As they stated, the radars in Azerbaijan have been active for decades, and therefore, there is no need to put up an anti-missile site there."
Lavrov reiterated, "The Russian officials are currently busy preparing a proposal to be put forth during the upcoming Putin-Bush talks.

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hear from both sides of the story, who make better sense vis-a-vis Iran missile threat ? RUSSIAN OR USA ?

gigabyte14 SG

this ain’t a scene, it’s a god damn arms race~~

qpicanto SG

02/2007 PDT Munich --excerpt :

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States on Saturday of provoking a new nuclear arms race by developing ballistic missile defenses, undermining international institutions, making the Middle East more unstable through its clumsy handling of the Iraq war and trying to divide modern Europe.

"The process of NATO expansion has nothing to do with modernization of the alliance," Putin said. "We have the right to ask: Against whom is this expansion directed?"