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Romania 'to host missile shield' Romania 'to host missile shield'
(about 9 hours later)
Romania has agreed to host missile interceptors as part of a new US defence shield, its president says.Romania has agreed to host missile interceptors as part of a new US defence shield, its president says.
President Traian Basescu said the plan was approved by the supreme defence council. It still needs parliamentary approval. President Traian Basescu said the plan was approved by the defence council. It still needs parliamentary approval.
US President Barack Obama last year scrapped a previous version of the shield, based in Poland and the Czech Republic, which had infuriated Russia. The US scrapped a previous missile shield, based in Poland and the Czech Republic, which had infuriated Russia.
He said the US would now concentrate on a smaller-scale version. Instead the new system would provide better defence from "the emerging threat" of Iranian short- and medium-range missiles, a US official said.
Mr Basescu said the system would "protect the whole of Romania's territory", but stressed that it "is not directed against Russia".Mr Basescu said the system would "protect the whole of Romania's territory", but stressed that it "is not directed against Russia".
He said Romania will host "ground capabilities to intercept missiles" that would be operational by 2015 if approved by parliament.
Smaller systemSmaller system
The US has insisted that its defence shield was designed to protect its allies against attack from "rogue states" like Iran, and was not aimed at Russia. In the US, state department spokesman PJ Crowley also stressed that the new system was "not a capability that is directed at Russia".
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, however, said the system would upset the strategic balance. They threatened to train nuclear warheads on Poland and the Czech Republic in response. Romania has agreed to host anti-ballistic missile interceptors as part of the administration's "new missile defence plan... to protect US forward-deployed troops and our NATO allies against current and emerging ballistic missile threats from Iran," he said.
Mr Obama's decision to abandon the original plan in September was greeted with enthusiasm in Russia, and came amid attempts to "reset" the relationship between Washington and Moscow.Mr Obama's decision to abandon the original plan in September was greeted with enthusiasm in Russia, and came amid attempts to "reset" the relationship between Washington and Moscow.
The anti-ballistic missile shield favoured by former President George W Bush would be replaced by a reconfigured system designed to shoot down short- and medium-range missiles, Mr Obama announced.The anti-ballistic missile shield favoured by former President George W Bush would be replaced by a reconfigured system designed to shoot down short- and medium-range missiles, Mr Obama announced.
He said intelligence suggested Iran was concentrating on shorter-range, not intercontinental, missiles.He said intelligence suggested Iran was concentrating on shorter-range, not intercontinental, missiles.
The new system is built around ship-based SM-3 anti-missile missiles and on similar missiles to be stationed on land. The Bush administration plans had infuriated Russia, which threatened to train nuclear warheads on Poland the Czech Republic in response.
The new system is built around ship- and land-based SM-3 missile interceptors.
In October, US Vice-President Joseph Biden visited Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic seeking support for the new system.In October, US Vice-President Joseph Biden visited Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic seeking support for the new system.
Poland has already signed up.Poland has already signed up.