Washington: Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev on Monday warned in an interview that he could walk away
from a nuclear disarmament treaty signed last week if a US
missile defence program in Europe creates "imbalance."
Medvedev said former Cold War foes Russia and the United
States negotiated specific language in the preamble of the new
START treaty he signed last week with US President Barack
Obama.
This "formula" states that there is an "interconnection
between the strategic offensive arms and missile defence,"
Medvedev told ABC News.
"So if those circumstances will change, then we would
consider it as the reason to jeopardise the whole agreement."
If the United States "radically multiplies the number and
power of its missile defence system, obviously that missile
defence system is indeed becoming a part of the strategic
offensive nuclear forces, because it`s capable of blocking the
action of the other side," he added.
"So an imbalance occurs, and this would be certainly the
reason to have a review of that agreement."
Obama`s Republican foes have cautioned they will oppose
the pact if it hampers the US missile defence plans bitterly
opposed by Russia.
The issue had been a main point of contention during
months of arduous negotiations between the two countries.
Bureau Report
