Russia’s Medvedev warns West over missile shield

 

President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday time was running out for the West to come up with new proposals to secure Russia’s agreement to a missile defense shield in Europe.

Russia Profile Weekly Experts Panel: Can Putin and Obama Make a Deal on Missile Defense?

Speaking at the Euro-Atlantic Security Conference in Moscow last Friday, outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia and NATO could still reach an agreement on missile defense, but time is running out and opportunities for compromise are becoming fewer as the U.S. missile defense plans near implementation. Can Putin and Obama make a deal on missile defense? Would Obama go for a written statement of guarantees sought by Russia? Would Putin accept this as a compromise?

U.S. seeks to ease Russia missile worries

MOSCOW, April 4 (UPI) – A missile defense shield planned for Europe by the United States could be a point of cooperation, not confrontation, with Moscow, an envoy said.

Missile Gaffe Leaves Europe Unfazed

President Barack Obama roiled the U.S. election campaign when he was caught on a live microphone telling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would “have more flexibility” after his next election to deal with Moscow’s concerns over a planned European missile shield. But so far the comments have caused few ripples in Europe.

Putin’s Presidential Return: Implications for Russian Foreign Policy and Missile Defense

In a policy paper leading up to the recent Russian presidential elections, Vladimir Putin reiterated his criticism of the NATO ballistic missile defense (BMD) system, arguing that it undermines Russia’s strategic nuclear forces and that he is ‘loath to dismiss the possibility of reaching a compromise on missile defense.’

NATO to Declare Missile Shield without Putin

MOSCOW: NATO will announce the completion of the first stage of a controversial missile defense shield at a May summit that will not include Russian leader Vladimir Putin, its chief said Monday.

Medvedev against solving problems by force

Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev believes that threats of using force against any country are very dangerous.

He said this at an international conference on security in Europe and the Atlantic region, which is currently under way in Moscow.

“Some people want to make Syria ‘a modern democracy’ as soon as possible,” Mr. Medvedev said. “Some want to do away with Iran’s nuclear problem as soon as possible. But approaching every problem with a psychology of war is lame logic.”

“No one has the right to violate international laws, even if his or her actions are supported by the majority of people,” Mr. Medvedev said. “After all, public opinion can be manipulated. An example of that is the current propaganda campaign around Syria.”

Euro-Atlantic security still a myth – Medvedev

A Euro-Atlantic security is still a myth but it must become a reality, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said today at the Euro-Atlantic Security Conference in Moscow.

“I would like to answer the main question we all face: is a Euro-Atlantic security a myth or a reality? I believe it’s still a myth,” he said. “But this myth must become a reality. And we can all contribute to this.”

The Russian leader assured that Moscow wasn’t going to “sit on the fence,” but was rather ready to act.

“Security cannot secure itself. This task demands dedication and hard work from all the counties in the region,” he stressed.

EU ABM “cracks nuclear parity” – Medvedev 

Russia demands legally binding guarantees that it won’t be targeted by the European missile shield, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said at today’s Euro-Atlantic Security conference.

The Russian president stressed Moscow wanted to receive failsafe guarantees, based on military, technical and geographical criteria, that the deployed shield wouldn’t threaten its strategic nuclear deterrent.

Dmitry Medvedev noted no one had ever explained why Moscow should trust the claims that the European AMB wasn’t aimed at it. “On the contrary, we have always been told: this system is for you, use it. But how?”

In his address, Medvedev referred to the missile shield deployment in Europe as a “cracking of the nuclear parity.”

Medvedev calls for better ties with NATO

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called on NATO to boost bilateral ties and overcome mutual mistrust.

“We should overcome the phantoms of the past in our relations with NATO, we should overcome the instinctive distrust for each other,” he said at the Euro-Atlantic Security Conference today.

“It’s time to bring our views closer and make joint decisions to create a more stable and fair world,” the Russian leader stressed.

Medvedev warns against “scrapping international law” 

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has denounced foreign intervention into other countries as an attempt to “scrap international law.”

The recent days have seen an increased number of people proposing to use arms as a problem-solving argument, Medvedev said, stressing that not just experts but state officials are now constantly threatening to resort to military intervention.

The Russian leader has stigmatized this status quo as a very dangerous and inadmissible tendency and cited the example of Iran and Syria.

Medvedev warned that violations of international law may give way to anarchy. “Whatever good intentions may lie at the basis of the attempts to impose one’s views on those who disagree with them, this behavior is incompatible with the principles of international partnership and mutual respect of foreign relationships.”

Voice of Russia

Russian leader’s remarks reflect deep divide on missile plans for Europe

 

STUTTGART, Germany — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday warned that Russia must be prepared to counter U.S. missile defense plans for Europe, underscoring a deep political divide with the U.S. that some missile defense experts say won’t be easy to resolve.

Moscow Might Skip 2012 NATO Summit

MOSCOW, Dec. 9 (UPI) — Russian officials said Friday they might skip the NATO summit next year in Chicago if talks with the United States fail over missile defense issues.

Russia’s Baltic Radar Station Put into Service

A new radar station capable of monitoring missile launches from the North Atlantic, as well as the future European missile defense system, was put into operation in Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad on Tuesday.