MOSCOW, May 3 (Itar-Tass) — Simple solutions to the problem of the antmissile missile systems are nowhere in sight but still they are possible, General Nikolai Makarov, the Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces said Thursday as he summed up the results of the first day of an international conference on missile defenses.
“We had an intense and frank exchange of opinions that confirmed the pressing character of missile defense problems,” Gen Makarov said. “Security in Europe and in the world at large will depend on whether we manage to tap solutions to these problems.”
“The scope of problems we discussed is a complicated one and simple solutions to it are nowhere in sight,” he said.
“We set an objective for ourselves to show the Russian assessments of U.S. plans to develop a global antimissile missile system,” Gen Makarov said adding that the American system will get a capability over time to block the possible launches of ballistic missiles from Russia’s territory and from the water areas of world oceans.
“We find it troublesome that new plans for the antiballistic missiles system may be adopted at a NATO summit in Chicago May 20, and yet we still believe in an opportunity to come to terms with our partners.”
Moscow has shown the pathways for both Russia and NATO towards attaining equitable cooperation on the antimissile missile systems and using this option would bring benefits to absolutely everyone, Gen Makarov said.
“We’ve had frequent meetings with our NATO partners recently to discuss the antiballistic missiles problem and they have heeded many of our questions but NATO’s rule of discipline dictates that the bloc should also arrive at consolidated decisions,” he said.
“The European countries have grave concerns in the sphere, as they don’t want to see Europe turn into a hotbed of tensions once again,” Gen Makarov said.
“We’re obliged to tap major clues,” he said.
When a reporter asked him if he has any optimism regarding the possibility of an agreement on the antimissile missile systems, Gen Makarov said: “The system that’s being created now won’t hamper the potential of Russia’s Strategic Nuclear Forces until 2017.”
“We still have some time left and we’re obliged to find a solution to the problem,” he said adding that he is going to meet with the U.S. Chief of Staff in July and that the Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee is due to come to Moscow the same month.
Gen Makarov recalled a range of steps in the field of defense technologies, which President Dmitry Medvedev mentioned last December considering a situation Russian might find itself in if talks with NATO turned up in a complete deadlock.
“We plan to build up the potential of our radar stations included in the system of early warning on missile attacks and we’ll commission one more such radar station shortly,” he said.