ST. PETERSBURG. March 21 (Interfax) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has named terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as the main threats of the 21st century and mentioned Iran and Hezbollah.
This is especially topical with regard to the countries that threaten to destroy other states, Iran for instance, he said answering questions from students of the Kuznetsov Navy Academy in St. Petersburg on Monday.
Gates is convinced that the United States, Russia and China must compel these countries to give up such weapons.
He felt that the world will have to face a whole number of possible conflicts that will be dangerous and deadly to a significant extent.
A threat may come not only from countries but organizations that may have greater possibilities that some states, for instance, Hezbollah has more missiles than some countries do or if a terrorist group gets hold of weapons of mass destruction, Gates added.
He admitted that after the end of the cold war the world has become much more complex.
There is more instability, more change, international terrorism and crime are growing, the Pentagon chief said.