Russia calls on US to destroy MK-41 launchers in Romania. Reactions

Russia calls on the United States to return to compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) by the time it expires on August 2 and, to that end, to destroy three elements that, in Moscow's view, violate this treaty - said, on Thursday, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, General Igor Konasenkov, according to RRA Correspondent in Moscow, Alexandru Beleavski, quoting TASS Russian News Agency.

Russian Defense Ministry urges the United States to destroy the MK-41 anti-missile system in Deveselu, Romania, to be deployed in Poland and possibly in Japan. Russia states that this system can be used not only to intercept missiles, but also to launch Tomahawk (long-range) and medium-range missiles, which the EU Treaty prohibits. Russia also urges destruction of US missile targets, also used to test the missile shield, and which, according to Moscow, have features similar to mid-range ballistic missiles. Third request aims destroying the drones of attack whose characteristics fall under the treaty. US Military Attaché to Moscow was invited to the Russian Ministry of Defense to be handed the official note to these proposals.

According to General Konasenkov, the United States has been violating for many years the INF Treaty, but has not taken any action to remedy the situation, but on the contrary has created conditions for missile production,prohibited by the treaty. At the same time, Russian Ministry of Defense does not mention next steps of Russia, which the US is accusing of infringing INF Treaty by developing a missile whose range of action does not fit into treaty parameters. Igor Konasenkov categorically rejected these accusations as unsupported by evidence and inadequate to reality.

On Saturday, the United States announced suspension of its participation in the INF, citing Russia's refusal to destroy the respective missile by that time. Moscow responded by establishing its own moratorium on the treaty. This law expires in six months, on August 2, so that the two powers can still reach an agreement, but both have already announced that they are moving to creation of a new-generation of intermediate missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on the other hand that Russia would not deploy mid-range missiles in Europe or other regions of the world if no US missiles would be deployed in these areas.

Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs: “Deveselu shield is strictly defensive; Russia is seeking excuses not to comply with INF treaty”

Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleșcanu wants explanations from Russia after Moscow urged the United States to remove NATO's anti-missile shield from Deveselu as a condition to return to the Inter-Nuclear Force Treaty. United States and Russia have suspended their obligation to comply with the Treaty after they have mutually accused of breaching the provisions. Moscow claims that Romanian launchers can also be used for Tomahawk medium-range rockets, which are banned under the INF Treaty. Minister Meleșcanu reiterates that Deveselu shield is defensive and adds that the Tomahawk missiles have come out for a year from the endowment of the US Army. Romanian Foreign Minister believes that Russia is, in fact, seeking arguments to justify its own violations of the Treaty.

Teodor Meleșcanu: The current explanation is that Russia, through its actions and programs to prepare hypersonic and intermediate-ranged missiles practically violates provisions of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) signed with the US and at the last NATO Summit in December last year, it was very clearly stated that all NATO members support the idea of continuing this treaty, provided the Russian Federation complies with the provisions and does not breach the obligations it has assumed under the Treaty . I think it is simply a way of communicating to cover or find, for example, an explanation for the measures taken by the Russian Federation lately.(Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleșcanu in an interview with RADIO ROMANIA NEWS).

Russian Ambassador in Romania, Valery Kuzmin: "No unfriendly, hostile action is planned"

Russia "has no hostile intention against Romania", Ambassador of Russia in Bucharest Valery Kuzmin said in a press conference on Thursday. Ambassador Valery Kuzmin talked about the premises of the Russia-Romania relationship, in the context of "a good neighborhood". "No unfriendly, hostile action is planned and I assure you that Russia has no hostile, aggressive intention against Romania as long as we believe that it is our neighbor country and the best way in which one can establish relations with the neighbors is to provide the conditions of a good neighborhood", the diplomat stated, according to AGERPRES.

Ambassador Kuzmin was asked, in the context in which Russia and the US announced that they are dropping out the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), whether or not Romania will become a "military target" for Russia, taking into account that our country houses the NATO missile defense system in Deveselu. "In Russia, the INF Treaty has not been considered to be beneficial for the defense of the country," Kuzmin pointed out.

Russian diplomat stated that from a military point of view "for the moment, nothing will change," but he talked about the fact that the US anti-missile system would be directed against Russia. "The Americans (...) have said for over a decade that their anti-missile system is not directed toward Russia, but recently, when talking about the plans regarding the arms race in outer space, they admitted that it is directed against Russia", Russian diplomat said.

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF)

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), signed in Washington on December 8, 1987, by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and former US President Ronald Reagan, bans Russia and the US from using missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km. The withdrawal of the two signatories will officially enter into force in the next six months.

Source:RRA,AGERPRES.