USA to Endanger Russia’s Strategic Potential

Moscow, Jan 27. -The United States will jeopardize Russia's strategic potential by 2020, warned Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Riabkov.Riabkov said that by that year, the Pentagon can manage to intercept Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, if this nation takes too long to improve its nuclear arsenal.Riabkov also denied the need to make new proposals to Washington in the field of missile defense.

There was a time when we were close to a mutual understanding on the central issue and how to solve it, but then the United States failed to approve the said document, recalled the Russian diplomat.

Our US partners stuck to their position and so we don't see a need to propose any new initiative, which can be interpreted as a concession made by Moscow, explained Riabkov.

Russia rejects White House efforts to deploy a missile shield system in Europe and demands the signing of a binding agreement ruling out any intention to target this country with the said system.

The development of the European missile umbrella by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, ignoring Russia's protests, led President Dmitry Medvedev to announce in November last year new measures to respond to the said militaristic plans.

The proposals included the early opening of a radio-electronic station in Kaliningrad, in western Russia, the deployment of Iskander tactical systems there and the adaptation of ballistic missiles to evade missile defense, among others. (Prensa Latina)