Feed: CNN.com - WORLD
Posted on: Thursday, December 08, 2011 11:36 AM
Author: CNN.com - WORLD
Subject: NATO, Russia spar over missile defense
Disagreements over a planned missile defense system in Europe set the stage for a showdown between NATO and Russian foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday. |
NATO, Russia square off over missile defense
- " We believe our defenses would be more effective if we cooperate," NATO chief says
- Missile defense is expected to top the agenda at a meeting of the NATO-Russia council
- NATO asked Russia to participate in the system, but negotiations have been at an impasse
Brussels (CNN) -- Disagreements over a planned missile defense system in Europe set the stage for a showdown between NATO and Russian foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Wednesday said Russia's threats to withdraw from the START treaty and deploy ballistic missiles on its southern border to counter the missile shield were reminiscent of a confrontation of a bygone era.
They reflect a "fundamental misunderstanding of the West's intentions," he said.
"NATO's position is clear," Rasmussen said at a news conference following a meeting of NATO 27 foreign ministers.
"We need missile defense for our own security. We believe our defenses would be more effective if we cooperate."
Missile defense is expected to top the agenda at a meeting of the NATO-Russia council with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavorov.
The Obama administration and its European allies have sought to ease Russia's fears over the project, insisting that the system is directed toward countering the missile threat from the Middle East from which Russia also needs protection.
Since NATO approved the U.S.-designed system at last year's summit in Lisbon, Poland, Romania, Spain and Turkey have agreed to deploy parts of it.
NATO asked Russia to participate in the system but negotiations have been at an impasse over Russia's demand for a legally binding treaty guaranteeing the shield would not be used as a deterrent to Moscow's own systems. NATO has argued the shield can't pose a threat to Russia's own nuclear deterrent.
Rasmussen acknowledged Wednesday that negotiations with the Russians have "been slower than I expected."
He said he hoped the issue could be resolved before a summit between NATO and Russia in Chicago next May.
Last month, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened to withdraw from the START treaty on nuclear weapons reductions and deploy ballistic missiles in its exclave of Kaliningrad on its border with Europe if NATO moved ahead with the plans for missile defense.
Tensions increased last week when Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's ambassador to NATO, suggested Moscow would close transit routes that send vital supplies to troops in Afghanistan.
More than half the supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan now arrive from Afghanistan's northern border with Russia and Central Asia. The so-called Northern Distribution Network has become even more important to the war effort in Afghanistan now that Pakistan has shut down its border crossings into Afghanistan after a U.S. air attack killed two dozen Pakistani soldiers late last month.
US officials have said that Rogozin has indicated that his remarks were taken "out of context," but he has yet to clarify his remarks.
But Rasmussen said such threats to close the supply routes were an "empty threat" because stabilizing Russia was "clearly in Russia's self interests."
Moscow "knows from bitter experience that instability in Afghanistan has negative repercussions in Russia as well," he said, referring to Soviet occupation of the country in the 1990s.
Tensions are likely to also be high with Russia over comments by Hillary Clinton this week voicing "serious concerns" about recent Russia's parliamentary elections and calling for an investigation into allegations of fraud and vote-rigging. Russia's foreign ministry described Clinton's comments as "unacceptable" and Medvedev said Russia's political system was "none of their business."
NATO ministers will also discuss Afghanistan and plans to gradually transfer security control to Afghan forces before foreign combat troops plan to withdraw by the end of 2014, as well as tensions with Pakistan over last month's attack. The US has expressed condolences for the attack and is leading an investigation into the incident.
Rasmussen on Wednesday expressed regret for the attack and called for renewed cooperation between NATO and Pakistan in Afghanistan
"I fully agree that at the end of the day we need a positive engagement of Pakistan if we are to ensure long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan," he said.
The NATO meeting follows Monday's conference in Bonn, Germany, where some 100 nations and international organizations pledged to keep supporting Afghanistan beyond the 2014 withdrawal.
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