Russia says CFE freeze not tied to missile shield

MOSCOW, May 7 (Reuters) President Vladimir Putin's moratorium on a Cold War treaty to limit conventional arms was not linked to US plans to deploy a missile defence shield in Europe, Russia's top general said today.

Putin said last month in his annual state of the nation speech that Russia would suspend its obligations under the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty.

Analysts said Putin was upping the stakes in a stand-off with the United States over Washington's plans to deploy parts of a missile shield in Soviet-satellite-turned-NATO-members Poland and the Czech Republic.

''The question of the CFE Treaty is in no way linked to missile defence,'' Yuri Baluyevsky, head of the Russian general staff, told reporters.

''After the president's announcement that Russia was declaring a moratorium, our colleagues, especially abroad ... have tried to say it was an answer in part to what the Americans are doing in Europe.

No, and again No,'' Baluyevsky said.

U.S. officials say the shield is needed to defend against attacks from ''rogue states'' such as Iran and North Korea.

Russian defence officials say Iran does not have intercontinental ballistic missiles to fire and that the shield is directed against Russia.

The CFE treaty sets limits on the quantity, type and location of conventional armaments countries on either side of the old Iron Curtain can maintain.

Putin said it was an anachronism that Russia should be restricted in how it can deploy its armed forces, while NATO countries used pretexts to bend the terms of the treaty.

''I think you probably felt it too -- they were scared by the president's words,'' Baluyevsky said of NATO.

He said NATO was insisting Russia fulfil commitments under the 1999 Istanbul agreements: ''But they understand there is no link between the CFE Treaty and the decisions made in Istanbul.'' Baluyevsky said Russia would plan to counter the missile defence system if it is deployed, but declined to give details, joking that it would be a state secret to say how.

''If we see that from these installations, which could be created in Poland and the Czech Republic, then we will of course plan our actions against them,'' Baluyevsky said.

''There can be very many answers -- but believe me they will be significantly cheaper than what the US is doing now.'' REUTERS RS RK2100