Russia may still reply to U.S. shield with Baltic missiles

RIA Novosti ^ | 10/07/2009

[pobeda1945]

L'AQUILA, July 10 (RIA Novosti) - Russia could still deploy tactical missiles in its westernmost exclave if the U.S. goes ahead with its plans for a missile shield in Central Europe, the Russian president said on Friday. Dmitry Medvedev said Russia's position on U.S. missile defense in Central Europe had not changed.

"We are ready to participate in the construction of a global missile defense by providing both intellectual input and our radars," Medvedev said after the G8 summit in Italy's L'Aquila. "We are glad that there is a readiness in the U.S. to review its plans." Russia opposes the missile shield as a threat to its national security and Medvedev said last November that it would deploy Iskander-M missiles in the Kaliningrad region, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania, if the shield was put into place. U.S. President Barack Obama, who completed a three-day visit to Moscow on Wednesday, has shown less interest than President George Bush in the missile shield. Obama has not yet announced a final decision on whether to move ahead with its deployment.

However Medvedev said that if no agreement was reached on the issue, "the consequences are well known," adding that his proposal, made in his state of the nation address in November 2008, "has not been withdrawn yet."

Washington has agreed with Warsaw and Prague on plans to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic by 2013. The United States says the defenses are needed to deter possible strikes from "rogue states" such as Iran.

[BenLurkin]

could still deploy tactical missiles in its westernmost exclave if the U.S. goes ahead with its plans

The Russians intend to deploy those missiles no matter what we do.