Agence France-Presse,
American plans to build a missile defence system in Europe would “fundamentally alter the continent's geo-strategic landscape,” Russia's foreign minister said in an article published on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin's chief spokesman told a British newspaper that Russia felt “deceived” by the American plans, and would potentially have to “create alternatives.”
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, writing in the Financial Times, declared that it was “unacceptable for anyone to use the continent as their own strategic territory.”
“Any unilateral anti-missile projects would fundamentally alter the continent's geo-strategic landscape. It would also be an affront to all Europeans,” he wrote.
Russia has repeatedly criticised the United States' plans to place missile defence equipment in countries that were once part of Moscow's orbit.
The United States has asked the Czech Republic to host a radar system and Poland to host interceptor rockets as part of its missile defence plans.
Washington insists the anti-missile shield is intended as protection against attacks from “rogue states” such as Iran and claims that the proposed system would be useless against Russia's vast weapons arsenal.
That claim was contested by Russian General Vladimir Belous who told The Guardian daily on Wednesday that the “geography of the deployment doesn't give any doubt the main targets are Russian and Chinese nuclear forces.”
“The US bases represent a real threat to our strategic nuclear forces,” the general, described by the paper as Russia's leading expert on anti-ballistic weaponry, said.
Lavrov meanwhile argued in his comment piece that “no such threats exist for Europe or the US today, or in the foreseeable future.”
“None of the so-called rogue states possesses missiles that pose a real threat to Europe. The construction of missiles capable of reaching the US is an even harder task, requiring different technologies and production capabilities.”
He added that while the threats do not currently exist, the American plans “could become a self-fulfilling prophesy as a consequence of ill-considered actions.”
Lavrov called for “open discussions” between the United States, Russia and the EU on the issue, and said that he hoped that the next meeting of the NATO-Russia council in Oslo later this month would include talks on the plans.
In an article also published on Wednesday, the Kremlin's chief spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The Guardian that Russia was “extremely concerned and disappointed” by the US's actions.
“We were never informed in advance about these plans. It brings tremendous change to the strategic balance in Europe, and to the world's strategic stability.
“We feel ourselves deceived. Potentially we will have to create alternatives to this but with low cost and higher efficiency.”
Peskov added that while Russia was considering military counter-measures, President Vladimir Putin also wanted “dialogue” and “negotiations.”
On Friday, the lower house of the Russian parliament warned that the antimissile shield risks triggering a new international arms race.
“Such decisions, which are useless in terms of preventing potential or imaginary threats from countries of the Middle and Far East, are already bringing about a new split in Europe and unleashing another arms race,” read the declaration, which was approved unanimously by deputies in the State Duma.
Parts of the US missile shield are already in place in the United States, Britain and Greenland, and Pentagon officials say the plan is to have the system operational by 2013.
