Russia Calls New Missile System Defensive [View All]

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The Russian minister was asked why the country was trying to improve its nuclear capabilities at a time when the international community is working to get countries like North Korea (news - web sites) and Iran to abandon their nuclear programs.


"Of course it is necessary to improve missile system in order to avoid any accidents. This is standard procedure," Fedotov said.


Fedotov said that "as everything we have, it's totally defensive."


White House spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush (news - web sites) and Putin had discussed the issue previously. He suggested that close ties between the two leaders makes alarm unnecessary. But he didn't eliminate Washington's concern.


"We have a very different relationship than we did in the Cold War," he said. "The fact that we do have a good relationship enables us to speak very directly to our Russian friends."

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more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=732&e=10&u=/ap/20041120/ap_on_re_eu/un_russia_nuclear

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