noworldsystem.com

Russia tonight threatened to retaliate by military means after a deal with the Czech Republic brought the US missile defence system in Europe a step closer.

The threat followed quickly on from the announcement that Condoleezza Rice signed a formal agreement with the Czech Republic to host the radar for the controversial project.

Moscow argues that the missile shield would severely undermine the balance of European security and regards the proposed missile shield based in two former Communist countries as a hostile move.

“We will be forced to react not with diplomatic, but with military-technical methods,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry did not detail what its response might entail.

Dr Rice, the US Secretary of State, hailed the agreement as a step forward for international security.

After 14 months of negotiations, the US is struggling to clinch agreement with its other proposed partner – Poland – where it hopes to locate the interceptor missiles designed to shoot down any incoming rockets.

The United States urged Russia on Wednesday to join its planned missile defence as “equal partners” and played down a warning from Moscow that it might react militarily to the system.

“We seek strategic cooperation on preventing missiles from rogue nations like Iran from threatening our friends and allies,” said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe. “We will continue to have a dialogue with the Russians.”

“We want to design a system between the United States, Russia and Europe, with everyone participating as equal partners,” Johndroe said on the margins of a rich nations summit at this mountain resort in northern Japan.

Washington says it needs to base interceptor missiles in Europe to form a shield to stop possible attacks by states like Iran or North Korea.

US President George W. Bush and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev clashed on the controversial plan on Monday, in their first face-to-face talks since the Russian leader took office in May.

And Russia warned Tuesday that it would react militarily if Washington erected installations on its Cold War turf, hours after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed a deal to base some components in the Czech Republic.

Over 20 combat and auxiliary ships from Russia’s Pacific Fleet started on Tuesday a large-scale naval exercise in the Sea of Japan, which includes live firing drills, a fleet spokesman said.

“The exercise is part of the summer combat training program,” Captain 1st Rank Roman Martov said. “More than 20 combat and auxiliary ships will participate in about 20 individual and group drills.”

The core of the naval task force participating in the exercise consists of the Varyag, a Russian Slava-class missile cruiser dubbed ’the killer of aircraft carriers,’ the Bystry, a Sovremenny class destroyer, and a group of missile boats.

According to the exercise scenario, the Russian naval task force and shore-based naval aircraft are tasked with the search and destruction of an ’aggressor force’ attempting to establish a beachhead on the Russian coast.

The ships will conduct a series of live firing drills against ground, surface, and air targets.