Missile Issue Will Not "freeze" All Relations With U.S. — Lavrov
Interfax - 3.21.12 - JRL 2012-52
MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - The problem over the European missile shield will not lead to the discontinuation of all relations with the United States, and Russia is ready to continue talks on this issue, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
file photo
"We are not trying to present things as if the missile defense issue is going to ruin all our relations," Lavrov said in an interview with the Kommersant FM radio station.
Russia is not closing the doors to negotiations, he said, adding: "We want to continue these talks, continue them professionally and honestly, without dodging the straightforward questions and answers that are crucial for our understanding of what our U.S. partners have been aiming at."
Apart from the European segment of the U.S. global missile defense system, there will also be an Asian one, the creation of which will involve Japan and South Korea, and this cannot be ignored by military planners, he said.
"By the way, China has no less, if not even more, serious questions regarding this eastern segment, the East Asian segment of the U.S. global missile defense system," the minister said.
"This is why we want to discuss, as part of our strategic dialog, all these concerns and we want an articulate response to the issues that we raise with our U.S. partners. But I repeat: we do not see it as a problem that should freeze all the rest," the Russian foreign minister said.
Keywords: Russia, Nuclear Issues, Missile Defense - Russia, U.S.-Russian Relations - Russian News - Russia
MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - The problem over the European missile shield will not lead to the discontinuation of all relations with the United States, and Russia is ready to continue talks on this issue, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
file photo
"We are not trying to present things as if the missile defense issue is going to ruin all our relations," Lavrov said in an interview with the Kommersant FM radio station.
Russia is not closing the doors to negotiations, he said, adding: "We want to continue these talks, continue them professionally and honestly, without dodging the straightforward questions and answers that are crucial for our understanding of what our U.S. partners have been aiming at."
Apart from the European segment of the U.S. global missile defense system, there will also be an Asian one, the creation of which will involve Japan and South Korea, and this cannot be ignored by military planners, he said.
"By the way, China has no less, if not even more, serious questions regarding this eastern segment, the East Asian segment of the U.S. global missile defense system," the minister said.
"This is why we want to discuss, as part of our strategic dialog, all these concerns and we want an articulate response to the issues that we raise with our U.S. partners. But I repeat: we do not see it as a problem that should freeze all the rest," the Russian foreign minister said.