Medvedev Tells Danish TV: Yes To An International Missile Defense Shield

On the eve of Russian President Medvedev's state visit to Denmark, he gave an exclusive interview to DR National Radio TV news, on the TV channel DR1. The following is a translation from the article on the interview that appears on DR's website:

NATO Secretary General [former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen] said last week that he believes that NATO and Russia should join forces to create a missile shield, covering not only Europe, but one which covers both Russia and Europe.

In an exclusive interview with DR News, the Russian President was asked the following question by DR News' Steffen Kretz: Can you say yes to such a proposal?

If it is a serious proposal from NATO's Secretary General, then we can say yes to the proposal. For a long time, we have supported the idea that a global defense system, a missile defense system, should not only protect one country, or group of countries, but should be beneficial for all responsible participants in the world community. I stress, responsible, Dmitry Medvedev tells DR News.

In this respect, we do not like it when people say to us: "We will build our own missile defense." Because a missile defense is part of the strategic nuclear forces. The stronger the missile defense, the weaker the corresponding nuclear forces of the opponent. When this is the case, it breaks the existing balance between the major nuclear powers, primarily between the Russian Federation and the United States, Medvedev said, continuing:

But if this system has global dimensions, if it will serve to counter threats from states that do not comply with the system of international law, that violates the standards of law in one or another level, which is working on independent development, let us say, of nuclear weapons programs, or otherwise fail to live up to the principles of friendly international life, which is adopted throughout the world today, in that case, such a defense would, of course, be able to be realized, but that is an absolutely concrete question.

One cannot propose something, and then afterwards say, "Yes, you can stand somewhere in the backyard. We will find something for you, and suggest that to you, and meanwhile, we increase our missile defense forces." Therefore, either together, or — you must not take it in the wrong way — we will be forced to react to it in one way or another, the Russian President told DR News.