U.S. eager to push forward on missile defense

May 11, 2000
Web posted at: 6:09 PM EDT (2209 GMT)

From CNN State Department Producer Elise Labott

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States is committed to modifying the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty to accommodate the development of a national missile defense system, according to a senior State Department official.

"Prevention has an important role," he said. "But we don't see that as a substitution for defense."

The official, who asked not to be named, said that threats by rogue states -- he specifically mentioned North Korea --- have "advanced to the point where prevention is no longer efficient."

The official said the factors being taken into consideration to decide to deploy the national missile defense system (NMD) -- including the cost, the results of tests being conducted on the technology and the status of national security -- seemed to indicate a missile defense system is needed and its construction seemed feasible.

"The technology is available to counter such threats at a reasonable price," he said, adding that a limited missile defense shield to counter threats from North Korea and the Middle East could be in place by 2005.

Despite Russian objection to the deployment of NMD, the official said President Clinton will not bring any new proposals or compromises to his upcoming summit with Russian President Putin in Moscow next month to make the defense system more palatable.

He said Clinton would discuss "confidence building steps," but would not offer further cuts in warheads desired by Moscow. The administration, he said, would stick to the START III framework agreed to in Helsinki in 1997, calling for a reduction of each side's arsenal to between 2,000 and 2,500 warheads.

"Any reduction would be according to that agreement," he said.

Russia claims that the deployment by the US of a missile defense shield would be a violation of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. But the official emphasized U.S. disagreement with the Russian position, and claimed that a modification of the treaty was necessary to protect US from threats.

"The ABM was done to stabilize the U.S.-Soviet relationship," he said. "Not to convey advantage to states like North Korea...there is a broad consensus in the US across the political spectrum that the U.S. needs to respond to this ICBM threat."

The official emphasized that NMD would only be deployed to counter threats from rogue states, and played down concern that the shield would prompt China to build up its own arsenal.

"We don't regard China as a rogue state and have made it clear we are happy with a deterrence relationship with China," he said.

He added that the United States has not had a productive national security dialogue China, and that military discussions have been "hampered" by the bombing by NATO of the Chinese embassy during the war in Kosovo.

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