26 May 2007 - US MISSILE DEFENSE IN EUROPE TO COMPLEMENT NATO SYSTEMS, SAYS US DEFENCE OFFICIAL

The Bush administration is determined to ensure that its missile defence system protects not only US territory but also friends and allies. It has pursued a bilateral course, negotiating with Poland and the Czech Republic, rather than with all NATO allies, “because we needed to move quickly: we could not wait for a NATO decision”, said Mr. Fata, “and we don’t want to be held hostage or blackmailed by Iran ”.

To some NATO legislators expressing concerns about whether the US system would protect all allies, Mr. Fata replied that the US system would provide protection of all NATO’s area against long-range missiles, while the NATO theatre missile defence system would complement the US system against short and medium-range missiles. “Discussions with allies”, the US official declared, “will likely begin soon on how both systems can have common command and control”.

“This is a crucial element for the US Congress”, added Representative Ellen Tauscher (D., California), “US missile defence must protect all NATO territories and be fully interoperable with the NATO system. We want more clarity about how these two systems can work together”.

To complete the European-based deployment, the US government is also seeking to deploy a further element, a forward-based ground radar within 1,000 km from Iran. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) official Dennis Mays, who complemented Mr. Fata’s presentation with a technical briefing, denied that negotiations were already occurring between the US and any allied countries. The US Congress, which is backing negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic, has not approved the deployment of this radar.

With regard to Russia, Mr. Fata stressed that for two years the Defense Department has been engaging Russians on US missile defence plans. This has included offers of site visits to Alaska and California, sharing of information and join test experimentation. He recognised that the US and Russia differed on “just how soon Iran may be able to launch a long range ballistic missile: 5 years vs. 10 to 12 years.”

“These assessments may not be correct: intelligence is not a science, and could lead to wrong conclusions as it happened with Iraq”, commented Waheguru Pal Singh Sidhu, a missile expert from the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, who also addressed the NATO PA meeting: “We know very little about Iran, and I would suggest that the United States and Russia share more information”. Mr Sidhu added in his presentation that “unilateral and even bilateral measures alone are unlikely to address missile concerns effectively. In contrast, regional approaches hold more promise”.

The four-day NATO PA Spring Session brings together some 300 national parliamentarians from NATO countries, associate delegations from non-member European countries, including Ukraine and Russia; Mediterranean Associate delegations from Algeria, Israel, Jordan and some nations with observer status.