Placement of U.S. missile defense shield elements in S. Korea fraught with escalation of regional tensions - Russian Defense Ministry
BEIJING. Oct 11 (Interfax-AVN) - Washington's recent decision to place Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems in South Korea is fraught with causing an escalation of regional tensions and creating additional obstacles for resolving the whole range of problems of the Korean peninsula, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said.
"Engaging American air defense systems in the Republic of Korea clearly goes beyond the tasks of deterring the 'North Korean threat'," Antonov said.
The Russian Defense Ministry "does not doubt the fact that the U.S., backed by its allies, will continue to build up the potential of the Asia-Pacific segment of the global missile defense shield, a circumstance which will inevitably result in the strategic balances that exist both in the Asia-Pacific region and outside of it being undermined," he said.
"I would like to stress that the missile defense problem is more of a global nature than of a regional nature. The implementation of the American missile defense plans will undermine strategic stability and will negatively affect the prospects for fulfilling obligations as part of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, primarily in terms of nuclear disarmament," Antonov said.
The Russian and Chinese Defense Ministries will present the results of their relevant expert analysis at a joint press briefing on missile defense on Tuesday, he said.
"We look forward to seeing all of the forum's participants at this event," he said.
