Romania approves US missile deployment

[joeblow]

Romania approves US missile deployment
Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:04:08 GMT

http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=1 ... =351020606



Romania has given the go-ahead to a revamped Washington plan to deploy medium-range ballistic missile interceptors in the Black Sea state.

Romania's President Traian Basescu announced on Thursday that the country's Supreme Defense Council has approved a Washington proposal to include Romania in a defense system against "potential attacks with ballistic missiles or medium-range rockets."

"Terrestrial interceptors will be located inside the national territory," he said, according to Reuters, adding that the US facilities were expected to become operational in 2015.

Basescu said that the missile project is merely aimed at protecting Europe and Romania, reiterating that the anti-missile system is not a threat against Russia.

"The new system is not against Russia. I want to categorically stress this, Romania does not host a system against Russia, but against other threats," he said.

US President Barack Obama scrapped a Bush-era missile project to place interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic, introducing the new plan which involves Romania.

The new plan, however, still needs the backing of Romania's parliament, before it can be implemented.

RB/MMN