Corrected - Moscow, Beijing concerned by plans to put missile shield in Japan, S. Korea - Russian Defense Ministry
(to correct Chvarkov's job title from "head of the Russian Armed Forces' Main Directorate for Personnel" to "deputy head of the Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff" in news item issued June 18 at 7:27 p.m. Moscow time)
KUBINKA. June 18 (Interfax) - Russia and China are concerned by the plans by Japan and South Korea to host elements of the United States national missile defense (NMD) system, the deputy head of the Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, Maj. Gen. Sergei Chvarkov, said on Thursday.
A roundtable on "The destabilizing role of the NMD and European missile shield" was held as part of the Army-2015's business and scientific program on Thursday.
"All of us know that a whole host of decisions are being made to form a missile defense system in Japan and South Korea. This naturally worries Asia Pacific countries such as Russia and China," Chvarkov said at the opening of the roundtable.
He added that while Russia should not "take its hat off" before the U.S. missile and air defense system, reducing Russia's combat potential in this situation would be unacceptable.