Russia wants the signing of a new treaty on nuclear disarmament to be dependent on the US dropping its planned missile defence shield in Europe, dpa quoted Russian Chief of General Staff Nikolai Makarov as saying today. The SM-3 interceptor missile, which is to be based in Romania, was plainly directed at Russia, he said in an interview with state-run tv station Russia 24. There was consequently a link between the US plans and negotiations to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which expired in December, he added. Russia and the US have been in negotiations for months over the new treaty, which aims to reduce the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Last week, Romania's supreme defence council (CSAT) approved the US missile defence shield plans. Bucharest is to discuss details with Washington in the near future. The Romanian parliament has yet to approve the deal, but it is thought that it will pass with a majority. Over the last few days Russia has also been defending itself against criticism from the west on its new military doctrine, which regulates the deployment of nuclear weapons and specifies possible dangers to Russian security. NATO expansion towards the East represented a "sufficiently serious threat" said Russian security chief Nikolai Patrushev. "We doubt very much that the expansion of NATO makes us safer," he added. Russia strongly objects to NATO membership for former Soviet republics Georgia and Ukraine.
