DATE=6/8/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA MISSILES (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-263305
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO: Defense Secretary William Cohen hopes to learn 
more about a new missile defense plan for Russia and 
Europe at Friday's meeting with Russian Defense 
Minister Igor Sergeyev.  Pentagon officials call the 
Russian proposal "interesting," but say it's unlikely 
to take the place of a U-S missile defense system 
strongly criticized by Russia and some U-S allies.  V-
O-A's Jim Randle reports.

TEXT:  Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to 
work with NATO and Europe to develop an anti-missile 
defense system.

The Russian President described the plan in broad 
terms, and Pentagon spokesman Craig Quigley says 
Friday's meeting in Brussels between defense ministers 
from Russia and the United States is a chance to learn 
more.

            /// Quigley Act ///

      Let's hear some more detail as to what the 
      Russian proposal is.  More specifics, more 
      technical details, and let's take a listen to 
      what they have in mind.  I think most folks here 
      (at the Pentagon) view that as a compliment to, 
      rather than a substitute for the National 
      Missile Defense system that we have in mind for 
      the United States.

            /// End Act ///

Moscow opposes an American plan to deploy a limited 
national missile defense system, or N-M-D, in Alaska.

The "N-M-D" would have a small number of interceptor 
missiles designed to shoot down warheads launched by 
"rogue states" such as North Korea, Iraq, or Iran.

A key test of the U-S system is set for early July.  
President Clinton says he will use that information to 
decide to build or shelve the expensive, controversial 
program.

Moscow says the U-S plan threatens Russia because it 
could be expanded to defeat a Russian missile attack, 
making Russia's nuclear deterrent useless. 

Washington says the system could handle a few dozen 
simple missiles launched by a rogue state -- not the 
thousands of sophisticated weapons in Moscow's 
arsenal.

But President Putin says Moscow will pull out of all 
nuclear arms agreements if Washington proceeds with 
missile defenses.  Under such agreements, the two 
sides have removed thousands of warheads from their 
arsenals, something arms control advocates say makes 
war less likely.

Little progress was made on the missile defense issue 
at the Moscow summit last week, But U-S officials say 
Russia at least agreed that there is a real and 
growing threat from rogue states as weapons of mass 
destruction, and the missiles to carry them, become 
more common.   (Signed)

NEB/JR/JP




08-Jun-2000 16:17 PM EDT (08-Jun-2000 2017 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.