UKRAINE: Director of the United States' Missile Agency, Lt. General Henry A. Obering visits Kiev to discuss the U.S. defence programme

Director of the United States' Missile Agency, Lt. General Henry A. Obering, visited Ukraine to discuss the U.S. defence program including proposed missile bases in Poland and the Czech Republic. Director of United States' Missile Agency, Lt. General Henry A. Obering, visited Ukraine on Wednesday (March 14) to discuss the U.S. defence program including proposed anti-missile defence systems in Poland and the Czech Republic. Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko told Polish media earlier this week that he was favourably disposed to the idea, and that it will contribute to peace on the European continent in particular. However, pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said that deploying such a system near Ukraine's western borders could harm relations with Russia. In February, the United States officially initiated talks with Poland and the Czech Republic to install missile defence facilities in their territories. The Pentagon plans to establish radar bases in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland. A heated political debate on the issue has since followed in Europe. Moscow expressed irritation at Washington's objectives and used language reminiscent of the Cold War era, while Berlin and Paris reacted cautiously and called for a renewed strategic dialogue between the United States and Russia in order to clarify important political and military aspects of the issue. Some high ranking Russian military officers evoked surprise as they declared that Moscow would be prepared to target American Ballistic Missile Defence facilities in Central and Eastern Europe if they are installed. Such statements have almost shadowed the crucial security issue of U.S. defensive capabilities against Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles that Iran or Syria may launch against U.S. targets in the future.

ITN Source | March 15, 2007

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