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US missile defence in Romania not to be aimed against RF – Besescu

Russia comes against the deployment of U.S. missile defence in Romania because it sees a threat to its nuclear deterrence forces

BUCHAREST, May 3 (Itar-Tass) — U.S. missile defence elements, which will be deployed in Romania, are not aimed against Russia, Romanian President Trajan Basescu said.

After the talks with Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti on Thursday, Besescu said, “When we agreed to deploy missile defence in our country, none implied that Russia posed a threat to Romania or NATO. We want to ensure security of Southeast European residents and to prevent them from different terrorist threats. I’m sure Moscow realises that nobody threatened Russia.”

He stressed, “Romania does not consider Moldova a boundary between the EU and Russia, and between NATO and Russia.” “We want Moldova to be a border country as Russia is now,” he explained.

Last year Besescu signed a law on the deployment of NATO missile defence in Deveselu. Under the law, by 2015 Aegis radars will be stationed in Romania. The Operations Control Centre and mobile batteries with the Standard-3 interceptor technology will be deployed in the country. A total of 200 American servicemen will work in these facilities.

Russia comes against the deployment of U.S. missile defence in Romania because it sees a threat to its nuclear deterrence forces.

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