According to RIA Novosti, Russia is pleased the future plans of such defense systems will not be offensive to Russian borders through inclusion in talks leading to Non-Proliferation and peace.
The world Post-Bush/Cheney is a very different place.
NATO chief: more European troops in Afghanistan (click title to entry - thank you)
By DAVID RISING and GEORGE JAHN – 6 hours ago
MUNICH (AP) — NATO's secretary-general on Saturday blasted Europe's reluctance to respond to American calls for more troops in Afghanistan, saying countries like Germany and France need to "share the heavy lifting."
Germany's chancellor endorsed the principle of greater military support for the U.S. in NATO operations but did not commit to additional deployment in Afghanistan. France's president did not mention the issue at all during at a meeting of world leaders at the Munich Security Conference
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, a staunch supporter of U.S. calls for more European troops in Afghanistan, referred to a joint call this week from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy to strengthen Europe's role in NATO. He said it was a good idea but would not come without cost.
"I'm frankly concerned when I hear the United States is planning a major commitment for Afghanistan but other allies are already ruling out doing more," he told a gathering of world leaders and top ministers at the Munich Security Conference. "That is not good for the political balance ... and it also makes the calls for Europe's' voice to be heard in Washington perhaps a bit more hollow than they should be."...
Russia must be part of European security structures - Merkel (click here)
15:00
07/ 02/ 2009
MUNICH, February 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia must be included in European security structures, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday at the 45th Munich Conference on Security Policy
Merkel said it was in the general interest to involve Russia in Europe's future security structures, adding that attention should be paid to the initiative of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on discussing a new security set up for the continent.
Relations with Russia play a key role in European security as Russia is a part of Europe, Merkel said.
She added that the new NATO security approach should be all-encompassing.
Russia has already recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independant states. Considering all the evidence of the violations of Georgia in regard to human rights abuses there really is no debate. The protections Russia is providing in these areas are for reasons of their own defense. It is reasonable and prudent. NATO is still talking around the reality of those human rights abuses and needs to address this new security reality for those reasons straight on without delay.
NATO chief prioritizes strengthening West's ties with Russia (click here)
13:54
07/ 02/ 2009
MUNICH, February 7 (RIA Novosti) - Strengthening Russia's ties with the West is vital and the NATO-Russia Council can play an important role, the military alliance's secretary general said on Saturday.
Speaking at the 45th Munich Conference on Security Policy, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer identified two partnerships that need fundamentally strengthening - the second being between Europe and the United States.
He said that the NATO-Russia Council had great potential but warned there was a long way to go, expressing doubts about Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's proposals for a new European security structure in the wake of Russia's recognition of and cooperation with the separatist Georgian republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia....
The 'revisit' is the best venue for hopes to stop the proliferation of Iran. If Russia can bring enough clout to the Iranian idea of national defense, they could disarm from any nuclear potential. Russia is a key player in eliminating any missile defense for Europe and the Middle East if it is effective with Iran. Russia also has a responsibility in realizing its own citizens now face unpredictable dangers from Iran and might consider asking the USA for protections from any Iranian potential as well.
Basically, THE LANGUAGE of peace hasn't entered the international dialogue yet. To date, all the nations that dealt with Bush/Cheney were focusing on 'containment' of the Iraq invasion and its anticipated outcome in the best interest of the people of Iraq. Bush/Cheney never engaged 'peace' as a directive, nor the possibility of being benevolent partners with Russia.
Barak Obama has a huge opportunity before him in that by introducing 'the language' of peace through productive negotiations that include the national security of all nations, even in the face of Iranian hatred, he can stop nuclear proliferation and the economic 'sapping' of military weaponary demands by so many countries where spending priorities should turn to peaceful economic infrastructure such as education and health care.
I remind the nations bordering the Gulf of Mexico are just as much partners in this peace as are countries at distance such as Iran and North Korea.
U.S. to develop missile shield in Europe, consult Russia - Biden (click here)
17:33
07/ 02/ 2009
MUNICH, February 7 (RIA Novosti) - The United States will continue to work on a planned missile defense system in Central Europe, but it will consult Russia, Vice President Joe Biden said on Saturday.
"We will continue to develop missile defenses to counter a growing Iranian capability, provided the technology is proven to work and cost effective," Biden said at the 45th Munich Security Conference, adding: "We will do so in consultation with our NATO allies and Russia."
Russia has consistently opposed the missile shield as a threat to its national security and officials have repeatedly expressed the hope that President Barack Obama would not follow through with his predecessor's missile defense plans.
Washington has agreed with Warsaw and Prague plans to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic by 2013. The United States says the defenses are needed to deter possible strikes from "rogue states" such as Iran.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said at the conference on Friday that the shield is aimed at Russia's nuclear deterrent, but added that Moscow would not follow through with its threat to deploy Iskander missile systems in the Kaliningrad Region if the United States gave up its missile shield plans.
Biden's message to Russia was mixed, suggesting more effort at engagement but giving little sign of movement on the core issues, such as the missile shield and NATO expansion.
"It is time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should work together," he said, identifying Afghanistan as an area for greater cooperation between NATO and Russia....
