US, Russia to discuss missile shield in Moscow next week

MISSILE DEFENSE

Obama's nuclear remark was 'cowboy' talk: Tehran
Iran's conservative parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani on Thursday branded US president-elect Barack Obama's comments on Tehran's nuclear activities as "cowboy" talk, the ISNA news agency reported. "These comments resemble those of old American cowboys. If you have something to say about (Iran's) nuclear issue, just say so. Why wave a stick," asked Larijani, in a speech in Qazvin province. "The new US president has said he wants to pressure Iran since it seeks to produce atomic weapons and because it supports the terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah," Larijani said. "We are proud of supporting Hezbollah since they are defending their homeland and you are wrong in calling them terrorists," Larijani added. Iran is a staunch supporter of the Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. In an interview broadcast on Sunday, Obama vowed "tough but direct diplomacy" with Iran, offering incentives along with the threat of tougher sanctions over its atomic programme. As president from January 20, Obama said he would make clear to Tehran that the nuclear program was "unacceptable," along with support of Hamas and Hezbollah and its "threats against Israel." Obama, whose offer of direct talks with Iran represents a break with three decades of US foreign policy, promised a "set of carrots and sticks in changing their calculus about how they want to operate." Three days ago, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said "the carrot and stick approach has proven to be useless." And two days ago, influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani accused Obama of mimicking predecessor George W. Bush's tough stance on Tehran's nuclear drive. Washington severed ties with Iran in 1980 after Islamist students stormed its embassy in Tehran and took 50 diplomats hostage, whom they held for 444 days.

by Staff Writers
Moscow (AFP) Dec 11, 2008
The United States and Russia will hold next talks in Moscow next week on a planned US missile defence shield in Eastern Europe, Itar-Tass agency reported Thursday quoting a junior Russian foreign minister.

"It is too early to forecast the results of this meeting... Everything depends on the new US administration's assessment of the subject," said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

A Russian foreign ministry source told Interfax news agency the talks will be held on December 15.

"A new round of talks on political and military questions including the misile defence shield and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) will take place on December 15 behind closed doors," said the source.

John Rood, US under secretary of state for arms control and international security, will meet Ryabkov in the Moscow talks.

Moscow has sharply criticised the US plans to put an anti-missile radar in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland, despite US assurances that the system is not directed against Russia.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin urged US president-elect Barack Obama last month to drop the planned missile shield.

Obama, who takes office on January 20, has yet to say whether he intends to continue the plan created by the outgoing administration of Republican president George W. Bush.

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MISSILE DEFENSE

Raytheon praises EKV performance in test

Washington (UPI) Dec 9, 2008
"This test demonstrated that the Ground-based Mid-course Defense -- GMD -- system can defeat a long-range ballistic missile target," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems. Raytheon said Friday its Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle played a key role in the successful GBI test over the Pacific Ocean. Raytheon said Thursday it has won a contract to boost the capabilities of 166 Patriot PAC-2 missiles for the U.S. Army to intercept and destroy ballistic and cruise missiles.

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