Putin for 'retaliation' against US missile deployment in Europe

Moscow, Jun 4 (UNI) Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of retaliatory steps if the US went ahead of its plans to deploy national missile defence system in Europe, ridiculing Washington's recent proposal for talks on the issue with Moscow.

''If part of the US strategic nuclear arsenal is deployed in Europe and our military experts find that and it poses a threat to Russia, we will have to take appropriate retaliatory steps. We will have new targets in Europe,'' Putin told in an interview to the reporters from the G-8, ahead of the annual summit of G-8 leaders in the resort of Heiligendamm, in Germany, scheduled for June 6-8.

He also said US proposal for cooperation with Russia in the sphere of missile defence were limited to one unreasonable offer that Russia provide its missiles for target practice.

''Our US partners want us to provide them with our missiles as targets, so that they can conduct exercises using our missiles. This is just brilliant. What a great idea they have thought up,'' he said.

Recently, Russia has sharply attacked US plans, to deploy interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic to counter possible missiles attacks from Iran and North Korea.

Putin dismissed Washington's justification for the planned missile shield as baseless, saying the two countries did not have long-range missiles capable of reaching Europe, and that the system, which was ''designed as protection against something that does not exist, changes the configuration of international security.'' ''We have heard talk of European solidarity. Two countries, the Czech Republic and Poland, made a decision to deploy the missile defence elements on their territories. They say it is needed for Europe's protection. Has anyone asked Europe? Has there been any pan-European decision?'' Putin asked.

Russia tested a new inter-continental ballistic missile(ICBM) RS-24 capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and a new cruise missile Iskander last week, saying the tests were part of Moscow's response to the US anti-missile plans in Europe.

Putin said Russia would not deploy an anti-missile base in Cuba, its close ally in Soviet times, in response to the US missile plans, and did not rule out that Washington might drop the plans.

''We do not want confrontation, we want cooperation; we do not need bases near any country,'' the Russian leader said.

UNI