MOSCOW. Dec 9 (Interfax) - Russia is not going to get involved in an arms race, it is only stimulating the U.S. and NATO to agree with Moscow on missile defense.
"We hope that our signal went through [after a statement on missile defense by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev]. This is our stage-by-stage reply to their stage-by-stage plan. We are not getting involved in an arms race," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with the Rossiya 24 television channel.
"We are making a calibrated set of measures which will not be economically burdensome. I want to stress that it aims to stimulate the U.S. and NATO's desire to reach an agreement with us," Ryabkov said.
If measures have to be taken on top of Medvedev's statement, "it will not be our choice," he said.
"We still have some time before this decision, we have time to make a deal," Ryabkov said.
The United States and NATO are not prepared to take into account Russia's concerns over missile defense, but so far Moscow is ready to continue the dialogue, Russian Deputy Foreign Ministry Sergei Ryabkov said.
"We cannot see preparedness to take our interests into account. We see claims that plans that are already being implemented in this sphere are not aimed against Russia. We have the experience, including the historical one, which leads us to conclude that it is better not to believe promises and claims: it is better to have something firmer - guarantees," he said on the Rossiya 24 television channel.
Moscow is not surprised by the West's strong reaction to the missile-defense retaliatory measures announced by President Medvedev, he said.
"We are not dramatizing this, in fact this is what we expected. It is important for us to make it clear that our approach toward the issue of our security is very serious. It is important that NATO partners think carefully why this is happening nonetheless," the diplomat said.
"So their negatively-biased reaction, as I would put it, it was calculated, it was not unexpected for us. It is part of the common work, the common background. We shall continue the dialogue, Ryabkov said.