We want guarantees from US, not smiles – Russia’s envoy to NATO

Published time: 6 May, 2011 06:34 Edited time: 6 May, 2011 11:05

A meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels has tackled the proposal of a European joint missile defense system. The idea, initially put forward by Moscow, has been met with little enthusiasm from NATO or the US so far.

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Russia's envoy to the Alliance, Dmitry Rogozin, who talked to RT after the Thursday meeting, said it is the politicians, not the military, who are holding things back.

“We're under the impression that the military dialogue is running ahead of the political dialogue. The American policy clearly refuses to consider Russia's interests,” explained Rogozin.

Rogozin also said the US is refusing to provide any guarantees that the proposed US missile defense system is not targeted at Russia.

“The Americans want to deploy interceptor missiles capable of shooting down our nuclear weapons – near our launch sites. In ten years' time, they'll be able to shoot down a large part of our nuclear arsenal,” he claimed.

However, added Rogozin, the US keep telling the missiles are not aimed against Russia, who they consider their partner.

“We want them to give us written guarantees, but most of the time the US diplomats and politicians simply smile back at us,” Rogozin said.