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AP Reports: Russia, China Denounce U.S. Missile Shield
Putting their burgeoning partnership on display, the Russian and Chinese presidents on Tuesday denounced U.S. plans to build an anti-missile shield and agreed to closer cooperation on international affairs.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up nearly three hours of closed-door talks with a public signing ceremony. Among the five documents they and their aides signed, two took aim at the United States, singling out the proposed high-tech national missile defense system.
In a joint statement, Beijing and Moscow accused Washington of using the system ''to seek unilateral military and security advantages that will pose the most grave, adverse consequences'' to China, Russia and the United States itself.
Putin and Jiang urged Washington to adhere to the 28-year-old Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which prohibits the missile defense system.
Their statement warned that altering the treaty ''will trigger an arms race and lead to an about-face in the positive trend that appeared in world politics after the end of the Cold War.''
Washington argues that its proposed national shield is not aimed at China and Russia but against missiles from North Korea and other smaller states hostile to U.S. interests.
Putin and Jiang, in their statement, said ''the pretext of a missile threat is totally unjustified.''
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