Russia and China have asked the United Nations Security Council to meet on Thursday over "statements by US officials on their plans to develop and deploy medium-range missiles," according to the request seen by Reuters.
Moscow and Beijing want to convene the 15-member council under the agenda item "threats to international peace and security" and have requested that U.N. disarmament affairs chief Izumi Nakamitsu brief the body.
Moscow and Beijing want to convene the 15-member council under the agenda item "threats to international peace and security" and have requested that U.N. disarmament affairs chief Izumi Nakamitsu brief the body.
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper was asked in a Fox News Channel interview on Wednesday whether the test was aimed at sending a message to China, Russia or North Korea and indicated that the main concern was China.
"We want to make sure that we, as we need to, have the capability to deter Chinese bad behavior by having our own capability to be able to strike at intermediate ranges," he said.
Esper said on a visit to Australia this month he was in favor of placing ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia relatively soon.
"We want to make sure that we, as we need to, have the capability to deter Chinese bad behavior by having our own capability to be able to strike at intermediate ranges," he said.
Esper said on a visit to Australia this month he was in favor of placing ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia relatively soon.
Esper was also asked about a rocket test accident in Russia this month which US officials believe was associated with the Kremlin's hypersonic cruise missile program.
“Clearly they are trying to expand their strategic nuclear arsenal to deal with the United States," he said, adding that all such new weapons would have to be included in any future strategic arms reduction treaty.
"Right now Russia has possibly nuclear-tipped ... INF-range cruise missiles facing toward Europe, and that's not a good thing,” he said.
“Clearly they are trying to expand their strategic nuclear arsenal to deal with the United States," he said, adding that all such new weapons would have to be included in any future strategic arms reduction treaty.
"Right now Russia has possibly nuclear-tipped ... INF-range cruise missiles facing toward Europe, and that's not a good thing,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday the United States was in a position to deploy a new land-based cruise missile in Romania and Poland, a scenario he considered a threat that Moscow would need to respond to.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Tuesday that the US test showed the United States was stoking a new arms race and confrontation, which would have a serious negative impact on regional and global security.
The United States has said it has no imminent plans to deploy new land-based missiles in Europe.
No comments:
Post a Comment