The divergence between NATO and Russia persists on the anti-missile shield

(BRUSSELS2) Between the Russians (on the left) and NATO (on the right), the atmosphere was not festive today during the meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. And the distance around the table clearly illustrates the difference of opinion on the feasibility of the anti-missile shield. Even the bouquet of flowers did nothing...

Two independent systems for NATO, one system for the Russians

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, however, wanted to be reassuring, Wednesday evening, by coming to explain himself to the press. " The missile is not aimed at Russia. We do not see Russia as a threat just as NATO cannot be seen as a threat by Russia. "he explained, claiming to seek" real cooperation with Russia. But NATO always promotes the solution of “two independent systems with the same objective, a system that exchanges information more efficiently between NATO territory and Russian territory. he recalled. Where the Russians would like a single shield system for both territories.

The Russians threaten: in the absence of an agreement, nuclear forces will have to be developed

The Russian Defense Minister, Anatoly Serdioukov, therefore did not hesitate to speak of " substantial differences between the partners, according to my colleagues at Ria Novosti. The points of friction relate to the essential: in the first place, the guarantees called to exclude the possibility of using the European shield to intercept Russian intercontinental missiles » and the second point of disagreement is « define the appearance and architecture of the anti-missile shield in Europe ". And he threatened in the absence of an agreement with NATO, to develop his nuclear forces. " We have no other choice, otherwise we will be forced to restart the arms race. »