nuclear-news

Nuclear weapons, AND missile shields to stay in Europe – NATO

NATO’s Missile Shield To Keep Nations’ Nuclear Weapons http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-20/nato-s-missile-shield-to-keep-nations-nuclear-weapons.html By Helene Fouquet – May 20, 2012 France  and the U.K. will get NATO’s assurance that the European missile defense shield isn’t intended to take the place of their nuclear weapons, according to a European official with knowledge of the discussions.
NATO’s final statement will say the European missile defense shield, a
project pressed by the U.S., will complement nations’ existing nuclear
deterrence capabilities, the official, who wasn’t authorized to
discuss the issue while the talks are under way, said today.
France, the U.K. and the U.S. are the three NATO-member countries that
have nuclear deterrence as a defense strategy. The North Atlantic
Treaty Organization statement will include a sentence that will take
note of the compatability of nuclear deterrence and the missile-shield
system, said the official.
New French President Francois Hollande , who warned in March that he
was “reticent” about the defense shield, put the protection of the
nation’s nuclear deterrence as a condition for the missile shield
program.
Hollande said today he would continue the discussion at the NATO
meeting in Chicago  to ensure that “all the precautions will be taken
and the conditions respected” in the project. He was speaking to
reporters in Chicago before heading to the NATO conference.
Laurent Fabius, France’s new foreign minister, said today four
conditions were required for France to sign off on the project
including the protection of French nuclear deterrent, balanced
political conditions on the command of the project, no budgetary
overrun and equal access for French and European companies to the
industrial project along with U.S. companies.
Russian Objections
Fabius said France would “not be an obstacle but these four conditions
are absolutely decisive.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin , who returned to the Kremlin for a
third term this month, opposes the U.S. plans to house parts of a
missile shield in eastern Europe . He said the shield would undermine
Russia ’s nuclear deterrent.
Russian threats to counter a proposed missile-defense system in
eastern Europe are “completely pointless,” said NATO Secretary General
Anders Fogh Rasmussen. He spoke today as the 28 members of the NATO
and partner nations gathered for their summit in Chicago today and
tomorrow.

May 21, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, weapons and war