Moscow – A senior Russian official warned on Wednesday that Moscow could put new missiles in western Russia if Washington pursues plans to build a missile-defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland.
President Vladimir Putin, who has suggested alternatives to the U.S. plan, said he is sure Russia and the United States can continue to work together despite disagreements. President Bush and Putin met this week at the Bush family home in Kennebunkport, Maine, in an effort to halt the deterioration in U.S.-Russian relations.
Sergei Ivanov, a first deputy prime minister and former defense minister, was quoted by the ITAR-Tass news agency as saying Russia would not need to rethink its missile deployments if Washington drops its plans to build the system in central Europe and accepts Putin’s proposal to expand the system and use Russian installations.
But Ivanov, considered a leading contender to win Putin’s endorsement in the March presidential contest, warned that there would be consequences if the U.S. doesn’t compromise on the issue.
“If the proposal is accepted, then Russia will not have need to base new rocket forces in the European part of Russia, in Kaliningrad, in order to parry the threats which will arise from the missile-defense system,” Ivanov said, according to ITAR- Tass.
“If our proposal is not accepted, we will take adequate measures. An asymmetrical and effective response will be found. We know that we will do this,” Ivanov was quoted by Interfax as saying.
Putin also has said Russia could deploy missiles in Kaliningrad, which borders Poland and is Russia’s westernmost region, if the U.S. pushes ahead with its missile-defense plans.
Polish Defense Ministry spokesman Jaroslaw Rybak said Russia made similar threats before Poland joined NATO in 1999.
“I think this is just another step, and the Russians want to show that on the one hand they want to cooperate and then on the other hand they threaten,” Rybak said on Poland’s TVN24 television.
The U.S. says the missiles are intended to protect Europe from the potential threat of a nuclear- missile attack from Iran.
