MOSCOW. Feb 15 (Interfax) - Russia is concerned over the deployment of U.S. missile defense elements in the Asia Pacific region, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with Interfax.
"We are concerned over the deployment and development of the missile defense system and its elements in the Asia Pacific region. We cannot be indifferent to U.S. cooperation with a number of countries in this sphere," he said.
"We are closely monitoring and analyzing the developments. This is one more question we bear in mind in contemplating our steps with regard to the U.S. missile defense deployment," Ryabkov stressed.
"Obviously, some forces in the United States will use the North Korean nuclear test as a new strong argument in favor of building up, in particular, missile defense in the Asia Pacific region. This is clear," the deputy minister said.
"The Americans viewed all aspects of the North Korean nuclear program in the missile defense context even when North Korea had conducted only two nuclear tests and had not put the satellite in orbit," the diplomat said.
"We think though that missile defense is not a way to strengthen strategic stability. It may create serious risks, including in totally different angles and prisms than those pondered by American politicians and servicemen who analyze the North Korean nuclear missile potential," Ryabkov stressed.
"The nuclear test made despite appeals and the common sense deserves condemnation. We also think it important that the international response should not trigger further escalation," he said.
"The biggest difficulty in such matters is the precision of the answer, the degree to which the answer to a specified action might be taken as a pretext for tougher, far-reaching steps in the direction opposite to the required," the diplomat said.