- Title: Russia's Lavrov says worried by U.S. missile shield in Europe
- Date: 16th May 2016
- Summary: MINSK, BELARUS (MAY 16, 2016) (REUTERS) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV AND BELARUS FOREIGN MINISTER VLADIMIR MAKEI SHAKING HANDS CAMERAS VARIOUS OF TALKS BELARUS NATIONAL EMBLEM LAVROV AND MAKEI ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "As for the European security issues, we share a concern that our colleagues from NATO countries are trying to increase confrontation by moving military infrastructure east, close to our borders. You know how these questions are discussed, this is only to try to heat up emotions. Russia and Belarus are not supporters of this kind of confrontational policy. We stand for discussion and approval of the principles of equal and indivisible security for everybody in Europe." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "In our relations with NATO and the EU we have a common interest in seeing Europe free of separation lines. For now this is not happening. Our European partners are acting from an obviously preconceived position. But our constructive readiness to get out of this deadlock remains. The main thing would be for those who created artificial difficulties in the all-European process to remove these difficulties from the agenda." BELARUS EMBLEM (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) BELARUS FOREIGN MINISTER, VLADIMIR MAKEI, SAYING: "This is a very sensitive issue for us because our Western partners talk now about some additional deployment of military units in certain countries which are our neighbours. We are concerned. We see this as a potential challenge." CAMERAMAN LAVROV AND MAKEI SHAKING HANDS AND LEAVING
- Embargoed: 31st May 2016 12:43
- Keywords: Russia U.S. NATO missile shield Europe Belarus Lavrov
- Location: MINSK, BELARUS
- City: MINSK, BELARUS
- Country: Belarus
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0014I246K9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A ballistic missile defence shield which the United States has activated in Europe concerns Russia and Belarus, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday (May 16).
The United States switched on the $800 million missile shield at a Soviet-era base in Romania on Thursday (May 12) saying it was a defence against missiles from Iran and so-called rogue states.
But Lavrov, speaking in Minsk, said the system was aimed at Russia and that NATO was trying to "increase confrontation" and "heat up emotions" by moving military infrastructure east.
"Russia and Belarus are not supporters of this kind of confrontational policy. We stand for discussion and approval of the principles of equal and indivisible security for everybody in Europe," Lavrov said.
U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work said on Thursday (May 12) that there were no plans to use the shield against any future Russian missile threat.
Frank Rose, deputy U.S. assistant secretary of state for arms control, warned at the time that Iran's ballistic missiles could hit parts of Europe, including Romania.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday (May 13) that Russia would work to neutralise the threat perceived in the missile shield.
The full defensive umbrella, when complete in 2018 after further development in Poland, will stretch from Greenland to the Azores.
It relies on radars to detect a ballistic missile launch. Sensors then measure the rocket's trajectory and destroy it in space before it re-enters the earth's atmosphere. The interceptors can be fired from ships or ground sites. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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