Xinhua News Agency
December 17, 2013
U.S. reiterates need to continue missile deployment in Europe despite Iran deal
• Hagel told Shoygu the U.S. and its allies would continue implementing missiles defense plans.
• Hagel stressed that the U.S. and NATO missile defense efforts “pose no threat” to Russia.
• Russia confirmed it has deployed its tactical Iskander-M missiles along borders with NATO countries.
WASHINGTON: U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu on Monday the U.S. and its allies would continue implementing missiles defense plans in Europe despite the temporary deal to resolve Iran’s nuclear dispute.
During his first video teleconference with Shoygu, Hagel said the Iran deal reached by the P5+1 group last month in Geneva “does not eliminate the need for U.S. and European allies to continue implementing missile defense plans in Europe,” Assistant Pentagon Press Secretary Carl Woog said in a statement.
It was referring to the preliminary deal reached in Geneva in late November by Iran and the P5+1 group, the five UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany, on resolving the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Hagel and Shoygu discussed a number of issues including missile defense, Syria, cyber security and countering improvised explosive devices at the teleconference, which was agreed to by the two ministers on the margins of the August U.S.- Russia 2+2 meeting.
Hagel stressed that the U.S. and NATO missile defense efforts “pose no threat” to Russia, while urging the both sides to continue consultations on future missile plans in Europe, Woog said.
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Today’s talks between the two defense chiefs came as the U.S. government voiced its strong concerns over Russia’s missile deployment near its western region.
“We’ve shared with Russia the concerns the countries in the neighborhood have…regarding Russia’s deployment of the Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad. We’ve urged Moscow to take no steps to destabilize the region,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said at a press briefing Monday.
Russia confirmed Monday that it has deployed its tactical Iskander-M missiles along the borders with NATO countries, but insisting that the deployment did not violate international treaties.
In 2011, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia would station Iskander tactic missiles in Kaliningrad and southern Krasnodar region, should the U.S. implement its phased approach to the anti-missile defense program, which Moscow repeatedly warns may damage its ties with Washington.
Related:
Russia confirms deployment of tactical missiles near borders with NATO
MOSCOW: Russia confirmed Monday that it has deployed its tactical Iskander-M missiles along the borders with NATO countries, insisting the deployment did not violate international treaties.
“The deployment of Iskander missile battalions on the territory of the Western Military District does not violate any respective international agreements,” the RIA Novosti news agency quoted the defense ministry’s spokesman Igor Konashenkov as saying.
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