NATO: Going ahead with missile shield despite Russian concerns, threats [View all]

[maddezmom]

By Associated Press, Updated: Saturday, February 4, 7:58 AM

MUNICH — NATO leaders on Saturday downplayed Moscow’s fears that a new Europe-based missile defense system represents a threat to Russia, while vowing to move ahead with it, even if those concerns cannot be fully addressed.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told The Associated Press that the alliance expects to have first elements of the defense system up and running by its summit in Chicago in May, and that it would continue to work on getting Russia on board with the plan.


“We have not made as much progress as I would like to see, but there is still some time to go before Chicago and I still hope we could reach an agreement,” Fogh Rasmussen said. “But irrespective of that, we will continue to develop a NATO missile defense system because we feel a strong responsibility to protect our populations effectively against the missile threat.”

The comments came on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where Russian Sergey Lavrov told delegates the U.S.-led plan “rings alarm bells” and suggested it risks seriously damaging relations with Moscow.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/nato-going-ahead-with-missile-shield-despite-russian-concerns-threats/2012/02/04/gIQAIjJIpQ_story.html