BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/11/2008

Belarus offers to host Russian missiles

* Alexander Lukashenko vows to purchase missiles if Moscow rejects offer

WASHINGTON: Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko wants to host Russian missiles to counter US plans for a missile defense shield in eastern Europe, according to an interview published on Friday that drew US condemnation.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Lukashenko said he has been talking with Moscow about having Iskander missiles deployed in Belarus, which borders Poland. Warsaw has agreed to deploy part of the US shield. "Even if Russia does not offer these promising missiles, we will purchase them ourselves," Lukashenko was quoted as saying. "Right now we do not have the funds, but it is part of our plans - I am giving away a secret here - to have such weapons," he added.

Washington was quick to respond. "Any of these threats to deploy missiles in the European theater, you know, would just not be helpful with regard to civility," State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood told reporters. "As we've said over and again, this missile defense system is not targeted at the Russians... on Belarus or anybody," Wood said. "It's basically designed to... prevent and to deal with rogue threats, rogue missile threats from the Middle East region, particularly from Iran," according to Wood. The current US administration has argued that the deployment of a radar in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland is essential to guard against a possible future missile threat from Iran. Russia has said the planned US installations so close to its borders are a threat to its own defenses and says the plans are in fact part of a broader aim of building up US and NATO bases on its western frontier. The dispute is triggering an increasing war of words. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday blasted Russia's threat to deploy Iskander missiles in its Baltic Sea territory of Kaliningrad in response to the anti-missile system. afp

Source:

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\11\16\story_16-11-2008_pg4_8

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