Agence France-Presse,
MOSCOW: Russia accused the United States on Wednesday of accelerating attempts to deploy anti-missile defences in central Europe, despite Moscow's request for a freeze on the project.
Washington's negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic over installing the defences “have not only not been suspended, but additional measures are being taken to speed them up,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin. “There is the impression that the United States is trying to make the realisation of its plans irreversible,” Kamynin said in a statement.
Kamynin also reiterated Moscow's dismissal of US accusations that Iran presents a military threat. Russia does not support “a holy alliance against this country,” he said.
The ministry spokesman accused Washington of failing to make good on a promise to put US proposals for resolving the dispute into concrete terms, while also failing to take seriously Russia's own proposals.
“Unfortunately the American side prefers not to pay attention that Russia's offer is an alternative — not a support” for US plans, he said.
Washington and Moscow are at loggerheads over US plans for deploying 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic.
The United States says the shield would guard against potential threats from Iran.
Russia sees the US missile defense plans as a military encroachment in its former sphere of influence that could be turned against Russia's own nuclear deterrence.
The United States, which is still negotiating with Poland and the Czech Republic for access to their territory, insists that the planned missile defences are no match for Russia's nuclear arsenal.
