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| Missile shield is 'urgent' - Bush | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| US President George W Bush has said there is a "real and urgent" need for a missile defence system in Europe. | US President George W Bush has said there is a "real and urgent" need for a missile defence system in Europe. |
| Mr Bush said the missile threat was from the Middle East, not Russia, which strongly opposes sites for the shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. | Mr Bush said the missile threat was from the Middle East, not Russia, which strongly opposes sites for the shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. |
| He warned that Iran could have a ballistic missile capable of reaching Europe or the US by 2015. | |
| Earlier, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the shield could be delayed while Russian concerns were tackled. | Earlier, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the shield could be delayed while Russian concerns were tackled. |
| Iran threat | Iran threat |
| In a speech at the National Defence University in Washington, Mr Bush said: "The need for missile defence in Europe is real and I believe it's urgent." | In a speech at the National Defence University in Washington, Mr Bush said: "The need for missile defence in Europe is real and I believe it's urgent." |
| We would consider tying together activation of the sites in Poland and the Czech Republic with definitive proof of the threat Robert Gates,US defence secretary Q&A: US missile defences | |
| He said the planned system was not designed to tackle missiles from Russia as it would be easily overwhelmed by Moscow's arsenal. | He said the planned system was not designed to tackle missiles from Russia as it would be easily overwhelmed by Moscow's arsenal. |
| "The Cold War is over. Russia is not our enemy," he said. | "The Cold War is over. Russia is not our enemy," he said. |
| Mr Bush said the US had invited Russia to "join us against an emerging threat that affects us all... we ought to respond to this threat together". | |
| The president said if "rogue states" had less confidence their missiles would strike, they would be "less likely to engage in acts of aggression in the first place". | |
| Mr Bush also attacked the US Congress for reducing funding to missile shield systems. | Mr Bush also attacked the US Congress for reducing funding to missile shield systems. |
| Earlier, Mr Gates had said activation of the European shield could be delayed until there was "definitive proof" of a missile threat from states such as Iran. | Earlier, Mr Gates had said activation of the European shield could be delayed until there was "definitive proof" of a missile threat from states such as Iran. |
| He said after meeting Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek in Prague: "We would consider tying together activation of the sites in Poland and the Czech Republic with definitive proof of the threat - in other words, Iranian missile testing and so on." | He said after meeting Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek in Prague: "We would consider tying together activation of the sites in Poland and the Czech Republic with definitive proof of the threat - in other words, Iranian missile testing and so on." |
| Map of US missile defence systems | Map of US missile defence systems |
| The missile shield system would see a radar site set up in the Czech Republic and a missile interceptor base in Poland. | The missile shield system would see a radar site set up in the Czech Republic and a missile interceptor base in Poland. |
| Russia has vehemently opposed bases on the territories of its former Warsaw Pact allies. | Russia has vehemently opposed bases on the territories of its former Warsaw Pact allies. |
| Mr Gates and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice received a frosty reception when they tried to sell the plan in Moscow this month. | Mr Gates and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice received a frosty reception when they tried to sell the plan in Moscow this month. |
| Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow saw the shield as a "potential threat" to its security and wanted to "neutralise" it. | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow saw the shield as a "potential threat" to its security and wanted to "neutralise" it. |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin widened the debate by also threatening to abandon a key nuclear missile treaty. | Russian President Vladimir Putin widened the debate by also threatening to abandon a key nuclear missile treaty. |
| He said it would be difficult to remain part of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty unless it was expanded to include more countries than just the US and Russia. | He said it would be difficult to remain part of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty unless it was expanded to include more countries than just the US and Russia. |
| US MISSILE DEFENCE: LONG RANGE THREAT PROTECTION US wants to build defence system against possible missile attacksPart of defences would be in Eastern Europe - which Russia opposesRussia suggests US should use its Gabala, Azerbaijan base instead | US MISSILE DEFENCE: LONG RANGE THREAT PROTECTION US wants to build defence system against possible missile attacksPart of defences would be in Eastern Europe - which Russia opposesRussia suggests US should use its Gabala, Azerbaijan base instead |
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