28/7 Tass 214
ANKARA, July 28 (Itar-Tass) — NATO should, primarily, use political, diplomatic and economic arguments for Iran, Russian permanent representative to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Rogozin said, “Russia considers it necessary. And if these arguments are useless, force is worth using.”
According to the Russian permanent representative, Russia “does not understand the U.S. motives” on its plan to deploy missile defence elements in Poland. “If the U.S. fears Iran, what that’s got to do with Poland,” he asked.
“If we agree, the level of technological development means that several countries possess of nuclear weapons, missile defence should be created jointly. Our [Russia and the U.S.] views on Iran’s missile threat diverge – we have different positions on stages for creating missiles and on their range,” Rogozin added.
Meanwhile, despite the fact that there is no common view on threats, including within NATO members, “at the current stage Europe is executing plans on missile defence no matter how talks are holding between Russia and the U.S., and other countries”. Rogozin noted that missile performances “infringe upon Russia’s strategic interests”. For example, he said Germany and France “want Europe to make its [technological] contribution to missile defence”.
“As of today no NATO country, besides the U.S., has technology for missile interception. No great powers have such technology. Russia and the U.S. possess of missile defence in its pure form,” Rogozin said.
To this end, the Russian permanent representative pointed out that NATO countries would have to buy anti-missiles from the Americans. “I’ll also say that by 2015 Russia is putting into service the S-500 system, which is allegedly capable of intercepting enemy missiles in the Earth’s atmosphere,” Rogozin said.
Rogozin described apprehensions about missile strikes on Europe by Iran as groundless. “We are actively upholding Iran’s efforts to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. We know exactly that Iran has no nuclear weapons that can threaten any country, including Russia.”
Russia is well informed on Iran’s missile studies, he added. “Any view that Iran will attack Poland or Norway by using its missiles is delirious nonsense,” the Russian permanent representative said, adding that specialists, who were talking about it, could not be considered experts.
He said certain NATO members were wary of Iran’s missile strikes on Baltic States. “But I doubt that quite a few in Iran know anything about these countries. That is why all this is speculation,” Rogozin said.
“An attempt to diabolise Iran and represent it ‘such a bad boy’ seems like Hollywood, but it has nothing common with the real situation,” he said.
European missile defence deployment can be the preparation of an attack on Iran, Rogozin said. “I don’t hide that this aspect is being discussed by NATO. One cannot delude oneself into the concept ‘missile defence’. This is not an element of defence in its pure form. The shield always covers the sword. Certain Russian and European experts believe that these plans can be the preparation of an attack on Iran.”
He noted, “Defence and attack elements are linked to each other genetically.”
The Russian permanent representative said the United States had urged Russia to take part in creating two missile defence centres. “The one centre is called Data Fusion Centre and the second one is named, Operations Planning Centre. I’ve just returned from Colorado-Springs where I visited the U.S. Missile Defence Integration and Operations Centre. I saw its work in reality. I can say there are still as many questions as before,” Rogozin stressed.
Commenting on the talks, which are planning to be held, the Russian permanent representative said, “I’d like to know Turkey’s view on the U.S. missile defence and risks, which can emerge.” “Centuries-long relationship unites our countries. I hope that we can hold an open dialogue on all issues. It is necessary to remember that the deployment of missile defence elements can make Turkey its potential target,” Rogozin pointed out.
The Russian permanent representative arrived in Ankara on Thursday at Turkey’s invitation to discuss prospects for creating European missile defence.