BRUSSELS, March 5 (RIA Novosti) - Plans to deploy elements of U.S. missile defense in Eastern Europe are not aimed against Russia, the NATO secretary general said Monday.
The United States has announced plans to build a radar installation in the Czech Republic and a missile base in Poland in the next five years. The U.S. insists that the European missile shield is designed to counter possible attacks from "rogue states," including Iran and North Korea.
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the North Atlantic alliance and the U.S. in particular have demonstrated "maximum transparency" with respect to Russia.
Moscow has strongly objected to the proposed deployment of the U.S. missile shield in Central Europe and Central Asia, and further eastward expansion of NATO.