NATO Plays Down Significance of Theater Missile Defense Cooperation With Russia

NATO said yesterday that its cooperation with Russia on missile defense activities does not rise to the level of planning for a joint missile defense system, despite claims by Moscow earlier this week, ISN Security Watch reported yesterday (see GSN, April 12).

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Tuesday that Russia and NATO “plan to create an effective battlefield antimissile system in Europe. This system will protect all the areas on the European continent that can be attacked by missiles.”

A NATO air defense expert, however, said yesterday that “NATO and Russia are working together to develop procedures and structures to conduct theater missile defense activities in a crisis response operation outside NATO and Russian territory.”

However, “It is premature to suggest that the cooperation will result in a joint theater missile defense system,” the official said (Ekrem Krasniqi, ISN Security Watch, April 14).

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