NATO steps confirm missile defense system in Europe directed against Russia, China - Russian Security Council secretary
ULAN-UDE. June 25 (Interfax) - Taking into account progress in settling the nuclear problem of Iran, NATO should abandon its plans to set up a global missile defense system in Europe, although it has been clear all along that it is being set up against Russia and China, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said.
"We've been told that absolutely nobody threatens Russia, and there are no threats. But how is that? Take, for instance, the issue of Iran and the construction of a global missile defense system. Once they declared that the global missile defense system was being built against Iran and against North Korea," Patrushev told journalists in reply to a question from Interfax in Ulan-Ude.
"Take, for instance, Iran. The attitude toward Iran has changed now, bilateral relations are being maintained with it, and the P5+1 is working with Iran. If the defense system had been built against Iran, it's so expensive, is it worth building? No, it would be logical to abandon it, but this isn't being done at all," Patrushev said.
"We've known all along that it's been built primarily against Russia and China. The steps being taken now confirm this," he said.