US and Russia square up over missile shield

US and Russia square up over missile shield
By Stefan Wagstyl in Moscow and Edward Luce in Washington
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
Published: July 2 2009 22:29 | Last updated: July 3 2009 00:11
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/23cf9eee-674c-11de-925f-00144feabdc0.html


The US and Russia are digging in for a fight over American plans for missile defence bases in eastern Europe in spite of efforts by both sides to create a positive atmosphere before next week’s summit between Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev.

A senior Russian official told the Financial Times on Thursday it was not enough for the US to say it was reviewing the missile defence project as the US president had already done. Washington had to go further and “show that it really can work together with Russia in the new [geopolitical] situation and the new threats we face”.

Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the international affairs committee of the Russian parliament’s upper house, said the US missile defence shield, with its planned bases in the Czech Republic and Poland, had never been a military threat to Russia.

However, it was a political threat. “We are not scared of a radar or a few missiles . . . It is a political threat because it means decision-makers in Washington still see Russia as a potential enemy. That sends a very bad signal to the Russian political class.”

A senior White House official said Mr Obama would not be making concessions, or even giving assurances, to Russia over missile defence or the possible eastward expansion of Nato, another key point of conflict with Moscow.

Michael McFaul, senior White House director for Russian and Eurasian affairs, said: “We’re not going to reassure or give or trade anything with the Russians regarding Nato expansion or missile defence.”

Mr McFaul said the US would talk to Moscow about a Russian role in missile defence but there would be no question of abandoning the Czech Republic and Poland “to do a deal with Russia”.

The tensions over missile defence and Nato come amid positive signals on a host of other issues to be raised at the summit in Moscow. In a video blog, Mr Medvedev, the Russian president, said: “Now is not the time to discover who is in the more difficult position or who is tougher. It is time to join efforts.”

The US and Russia both expect progress on the central issue of strategic arms reduction and are working towards a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December.

While technical matters, such as verification, need to be resolved, negotiators are aiming to limit both arsenals, perhaps to about 1,500 warheads each, down from the current ceiling of 2,200. However, even here there could be disagreements as Russia links strategic arms cuts to missile defence in ways the US dislikes.

The two leaders are expected to set up a permanent bilateral relations commission headed by Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, and Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister. Mr Margelov said its agenda would include economic links that could strengthen political ties by creating a pro-Russia lobby in America and a pro-America lobby in Russia.

The summit agenda will also include Iran, Afghanistan, the Middle East and North Korea, as as well as the global economic crisis and climate change.

Mr Obama is due to arrive in Moscow on Monday and hold four hours of meetings with Mr Medvedev before a dinner.

On Tuesday, he is due to have breakfast with Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, followed by a speech at a Moscow university, and meetings with business leaders, social activists and the Kremlin’s political critics. He will leave Russia on Wednesday morning for the Group of Eight summit in Italy.