Medvedev: We'll Can Missiles if Obama Halts Missile Shield

[Byrdie714]

Sarkozy: US missile shield won't help security
Associated Press Writer Angela Charlton, Associated Press Writer – 13 mins ago Reuters

NICE, France – French President Nicolas Sarkozy undercut the American rationale for a U.S. missile shield in Eastern Europe on Friday by saying that the system would do nothing to improve European security.

Sarkozy's comments were the strongest to date by an American ally against the missile-defense plans, which have infuriated Russia despite the Bush administration's insistence that they are aimed at protecting Europe from Iran.

"Deployment of a missile defense system would bring nothing to security in Europe ... it would complicate things, and would make them move backward," Sarkozy said after a summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Medvedev smiled and pointed his finger at Sarkozy in approval after the comments from the French president.

The remarks came at the end of a week in which the United States and Russia rejected each other's proposed solutions to the standoff over the missile plans, making it increasingly likely that it will not be resolved before U.S. President-elect Barack Obama takes office.

Obama has not been explicit about his intentions on European missile defense, saying it would be prudent to "explore the possibility" but expressing some skepticism about the technical capability of U.S. missile defenses.

Moscow sees the defense plans as a Cold War-style project that could eliminate Russia's nuclear deterrent or spy on its military installations. Russia recently threatened to install short-range missiles close to EU borders in response to the U.S. plans for a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Much of Western Europe is nervous about the idea of such major defensive weaponry stationed around the continent.

Sarkozy has generally been hawkish on Iran and allied himself more closely with Bush than his predecessor Jacques Chirac. But Sarkozy is also clearly looking ahead to his relations with Bush's successor.

The governments of Poland and the Czech Republic said Friday they hope the new president will go ahead with the missile defense plans.

Medvedev argued against any such "unilateral" moves.

He suggested that the Russian threat to install Iskander missiles in the Baltic Sea region of Kaliningrad — announced just hours after Obama's election — was "a response to the behavior of certain European states that agreed to deploy new (missile defenses) on their own territories without consulting anyone."

"We all live in one house, let's all get together and find a way to reach an agreement," he said.

Meanwhile, Friday's summit made a key step toward rapprochement between Russia and the European Union: The EU announced the resumption of partnership talks with Russia that had been put on hold because of the war in Georgia.

Critics, including the United States and Georgian governments and human rights groups, say it is too soon to forgive Russia, in effect, when Russian troops remain implanted and unchecked in the two breakaway Georgian provinces at the core of the war.

Sarkozy, temporarily in charge of the 27-nation EU, insisted that the resumption wasn't "a sign of weakness."

He and Medvedev remained divided, though, over the continuing presence of Russian troops.

Medvedev insisted that a cease-fire deal brokered by Sarkozy has been "fully fulfilled," while Sarkozy insisted that work remains to be done.

The European Union is Russia's No. 1 customer and No. 1 investor. With the world financial crisis shaking markets in Europe and beyond, officials of the 27-nation EU say reaching out to Moscow is crucial to ensuring stability and to keeping Russia from shutting off its economy to outsiders.

Medvedev pointed on Friday to the lucrative trade between the EU and Russia, worth hundreds of billions of euros annually.

"We should think of this when we make decisions on all cooperation," he said.

The EU-Russia talks, launched in 2007, aim for an agreement that would increase economic integration, tighten relations on justice and security and boost cooperation in education and science. U.S. diplomats warned European officials that the resumed talks could undermine Western attempts to rein in the Kremlin's aggressive foreign policy.

Sarkozy: US missile shield won't help security - Yahoo! News

 

[Hwy99]

Yup, I met and competed with deaf Russians (at the time they were communists and while in the late cold war period) yet they were real nice, and we went along fine.

It's just their and our governments at the conflict like always been so that is the real culprit, not the people themselves.

Yup exactly

 

[Pinky]

I was used to have a best friend that are Russian too, and was introduced to whole Russian family from my best friend, I don't hate the Russians, I might don't like Putin, but your explaination about Russia and Georgia makes sense, I don't blame on Russia.

But, there's some of thing that I don't like about Russia because they won't let those islands that belong to Japan go since World War 2, I just don't understand why Russia was so selfish of those very small islands that Japan really need while Russia let so many countries in Eastern Europe go after the collapse of USSR and still have a lot of lands..

Oh yeah! I saw the Russia and Japan's islands.
Russia's Sakhalin Island. Japan and Russia used to be war in 1905. Russia got the island back in 1945.
Russia Blog: Sakhalin 1 Ready, Sakhalin 2 Under Pressure?


This is Russia's Blog. You might interesting to read.
Russia Blog - Energy Archive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakhalin_Islands

 

[BradB08]

I don't like him!

I think he's awesome. A real-life James Bond.

 

[Jiro]

I think he's awesome. A real-life James Bond.

me too.

 

[Pinky]

I think he's awesome. A real-life James Bond.

Oh okay. You think Putin like James Bond? I don't know much about Putin's background. I am big fans of James Bond 007.

 

[Jiro]

Oh okay. You think Putin like James Bond? I don't know much about Putin's background. I am big fans of James Bond 007.

he's ex-KGB... so his missions were to steal American/NATO technology & secrets... involved in intelligence... the whole 9 yards. Just like James Bond. This is the man you do not want to fuck with... and you must laugh if he laughs.

 

[Hwy99]

Oh yeah! I saw the Russia and Japan's islands.
Russia's Sakhalin Island. Japan and Russia used to be war in 1905. Russia got the island back in 1945.
Russia Blog: Sakhalin 1 Ready, Sakhalin 2 Under Pressure?


This is Russia's Blog. You might interesting to read.
Russia Blog - Energy Archive

Sakhalin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes that's right, but the Sakhalin Island is not disputed area, it's belong to Russia. What I was talking about is those southern 4 islands of Kuril Islands east of Sakhalin Island which have been always belong to Japan and was never seized by Russia till 1945.

Kuril Islands dispute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Recently the Japanese fishermen on the boat accidently and didn't realized that they are across Russia's ocean borderline, but other Russian boat shoot them to death.

Russia Attacks Japanese Fishermen Near Disputed Kuril Islands

I just don't understand what is Russia's problem with Japan, I just don't like how Russia behave toward the Japanese since WW2.

Anyway, that post that I replied to Liebling, I was not intention to be off-topic, just explaining her how I feel about Russia, that's all. Thanks for sharing those links, it's really interesting

 

[Pinky]

he's ex-KGB... so his missions were to steal American/NATO technology & secrets... involved in intelligence... the whole 9 yards. Just like James Bond. This is the man you do not want to fuck with... and you must laugh if he laughs.

What is KGB? I forget.

 

[Jiro]

Recently the Japanese fishermen on the boat accidently and didn't realized that they are across Russia's ocean borderline, but other Russian boat shoot them to death.

I just don't understand what is Russia's problem with Japan, I just don't like how Russia behave toward the Japanese since WW2.

very old on-going problems... Korea and Japan have been bickering over islands for decades too... and some hair-rising skirmish between fisherman boats and Navy (both side as well).

what can I say? silly lil' politic but it's understandable. Having a control of island means your jurisdiction is widened which is what they want.

 

[Pinky]

Yes that's right, but the Sakhalin Island is not disputed area, it's belong to Russia. What I was talking about is those southern 4 islands of Kuril Islands east of Sakhalin Island which have been always belong to Japan and was never seized by Russia till 1945.

Kuril Islands dispute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Recently the Japanese fishermen on the boat accidently and didn't realized that they are across Russia's ocean borderline, but other Russian boat shoot them to death.

Russia Attacks Japanese Fishermen Near Disputed Kuril Islands

I just don't understand what is Russia's problem with Japan, I just don't like how Russia behave toward the Japanese since WW2.

Anyway, that post that I replied to Liebling, I was not intention to be off-topic, just explaining her how I feel about Russia, that's all. Thanks for sharing those links, it's really interesting

Thank you for correct Kuril Islands. I remember now. Russia is the largest country in the world. You can go to see my other thread at travel forum.

 

[Jiro]

What is KGB? I forget.

For America - it's called CIA.
For UK - it's called MI6 (or SIS).

same for USSR - KGB (but it's been disbanded)

 

[Pinky]

For America - it's called CIA.
For UK - it's called MI6 (or SIS).

same for USSR - KGB (but it's been disbanded)

Thank you for explain. I didn't know that Putin was ex KGB.

 

[Beowulf]

Now you know, Pinky! Hehehe

Dang, those KGB guys seem to be everywhere. Did you know that we hired General Yevgeni Primakov to work in our Homeland Security? He is the former head of the KGB.
And oh yeah, we also hired Markus Wolfe, ex boss of STASI (the feared secret police of former East Germany).
Funny what you can dig up.

 

[Hwy99]

very old on-going problems... Korea and Japan have been bickering over islands for decades too... and some hair-rising skirmish between fisherman boats and Navy (both side as well).

what can I say? silly lil' politic but it's understandable. Having a control of island means your jurisdiction is widened which is what they want.

Well nearly after the WW2, Japan decide to surrender and then Russia jump in and take over the Kuril Islands, but the point is that Japan never fought with Russia during the WW2, only before the WW2. Now Russia think it's okay to assault other innocent country and took their lands.

I just look at the bad image against Russia about this situation.

About the Takeshima Island and Sea of Japan which was disputed by Korea and Japan, well I think I better back off from that situation because during the WW2, Japan had been abusing the Koreas a lot. I don't really blame on Koreans if they don't like the Japanese, but I never heard that the Takeshima Island was ever belong to Korea and the word that Korea proposed for the Sea of Japan to change into East Sea which I would consider as boring. So I'd rather to be neutral about this situation.

Thank you for correct Kuril Islands. I remember now. Russia is the largest country in the world. You can go to see my other thread at travel forum.

No problemo Allright I will check your forum out later.

 

[Jiro]

Well nearly after the WW2, Japan decide to surrender and then Russia jump in and take over the Kuril Islands, but the point is that Japan never fought with Russia during the WW2, only before the WW2. Now Russia think it's okay to assault other innocent country and took their lands.

I just look at the bad image against Russia about this situation.

About the Takeshima Island and Sea of Japan which was disputed by Korea and Japan, well I think I better back off from that situation because during the WW2, Japan had been abusing the Koreas a lot. I don't really blame on Koreans if they don't like the Japanese, but I never heard that the Takeshima Island was ever belong to Korea and the word that Korea proposed for the Sea of Japan to change into East Sea which I would consider as boring. So I'd rather to be neutral about this situation.

yea lol. luckily it's not our job to bicker over it. That's what politicians are for and that's what we pay them for - let them do the pissing contest for us.

 

[Hwy99]

yea lol. luckily it's not our job to bicker over it. That's what politicians are for and that's what we pay them for - let them do the pissing contest for us.

Yup

 

[Royale]

For America - it's called CIA.
For UK - it's called MI6 (or SIS).

same for USSR - KGB (but it's been disbanded)

It is now called FSB.

 

[Jiro]

It is now called FSB.

That's right... and it's gay. KGB... c'mon. It sounds friggin' cool

 

[Royale]

yea lol. luckily it's not our job to bicker over it. That's what politicians are for and that's what we pay them for - let them do the pissing contest for us.