Russia Chides U.S., Japan Over Planned ABM System

Russia on Thursday sharply criticized the United States and Japan for their plan to establish a regional anti-ballistic missile system in the Asia-Pacific.

Moscow "has not let pass unnoticed the insistent attempts of the U.S. to expand its military union with Japan by way of setting up a theater ABM system in the Asia-Pacific Region," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in statement released Thursday.

Russia is greatly concerned lest a regional ABM system be set up anywhere near Russia's border, the Interfax news agency quoted the statement as saying.

"It is obvious that this is being seen as a link in the first interception echelon of the future U.S. national ABM system," the statement said.

It warned that the appearance of such a system could "destabilize strategic stability in the region, destroy the regional balance of power and trigger an arms race."

Russia said all these fears could be dispelled by implementing its proposal that a global system be set up for control over the non-proliferation of missiles and missile technologies.

It called for the formation of a multilateral security mechanism in the Asia-Pacific Region with "equal rights and opportunities for all of its participants."

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