Star Wars, new episode and SALT III
Star Wars II plea to Russia
news.bbc.co.uk
The Americans are trying to reassure the Russians that
a new weapon system similar to the 'Star Wars' project
of the 1980s is not a threat to them.
The system breaches the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty signed
with Moscow in 1972 and Washington now wants an agreement with Russia to amend the pact.
Officials from both countries were due to start talks in
Moscow on Tuesday. The consultations will also raise
the issue of a Start III treaty that could cut arsenals to
2,000 warheads for Russia and 2,500 for the US.
The Pentagon intends to spend $1bn a year researching
a weapon that would be capable of protecting mainland
America.
The plan is to set up 100 interceptor missiles around
the country which would be fired at incoming hostile rockets - a system remeniscent of the one proposed by former US President Ronald Reagan.
It retains some of the features of the so-called Star Wars project which was abandoned because it was seen as too costly and too complex to develop.
The decision to resume development work on a national
missile defence system has irked Russia because it is a
breach of the 1972 treaty. The pact prohibits Russia and
America from building a national defence system.
Rogue nations
US officials argue that with the end of the Cold War, this
system would not be directed at Russia but at nations
perceived as a threat, such as North Korea. The
reclusive communist state caught world leaders
unawares last August when it test-fired a ballistic missile
across Japan.
In March, the US House of Representatives approved a
statement making it national policy to put in place a
system to defend against incoming missiles.
Demanding concessions
The Senate had previously voted to commit the
government to the deployment of a missile defence
shield as soon as technology permitted.
It was reported at the time that congressional approval
for the project had increased as a reaction to efforts by
North Korea and Iran to develop long-range missiles.
The US is now asking Russia to agree to amend the
treaty to allow the defence system to be built. But our
correspondent in Washington, Tom Carver, says it is
unlikely Russia will agree to change the treaty without
being given some concession.
He says Russia will most likely ask the US to
unilaterally disarm parts of its nuclear arsenal, but this is
something the latter has resisted.
Intercept and destroy
The US has not yet designed the interceptors but it has
already developed and tested a smaller system capable
of defending a country the size of Israel.
In June, the US tested the Theatre High Altitude Area
Defence missile, or Thaad. According to Pentagon
officials, the missile intercepted and destroyed its target
high over New Mexico.
Almost $4bn has been spent on the development of
Thaad since 1992.
This week Japan and the US agreed a joint research
project on a new regional anti-missile defence system.
Tokyo and Washington agreed on the $500m project,
partly in response to what they perceive as a threat from
North Korea.
Last year, discussions between Japan and the US were
denounced by China and Russia. They argued that such
a plan would provoke a new regional arms race and
threaten world stability. |
