Russia not to allow NATO inspectors at its missile sites

Moscow, Sep 28 (UNI) Russia today said it will not allow Czech and Polish inspectors at its missile sites, expressing its readiness for further talks on the presence of its observers at the US missile shield sites in central Europe.

''The US missile bases are being deployed near our borders and they demand that we must open access to our strategic sites for US allies, Poland and the Czech Republic. There is not even a trace of logic in such demands,'' Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It was referring to Western media reports that both the Czech Republic and Poland oppose a permanent Russian presence at planned US missile defence facilities on their territories claiming that the permission could be granted only on the basis of reciprocity.

''All we can see in these demands is the unwillingness to hold a professional dialogue aimed at getting concrete results. It seems that neither Poland nor the Czech Republic is interested in the constructive dialogue at this point,'' the statement said.

However, the Foreign Ministry reiterated that Moscow will seek further talks on the US missile shield in central Europe ''whenever our partners are ready to sit at the negotiation table.'' Russia fiercely opposes the US plans to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a tracking radar in the Czech Republic as a threat to its national security.

Moscow has warned it would be forced to target its missiles at Poland if the former Soviet-bloc state hosts the interceptor missiles.

UNI XC ARB KN1548