The Pentagon claimed success today in a test of its controversial missile defense system as Russian criticism of the move signaled the impending confrontation over whether the system violates existing nuclear disarmament agreements.
Pentagon officials promised to press forward with plans for more tests of the system after an interceptor missile hit a dummy warhead over the Pacific Ocean precisely 42 seconds after 3.09 a.m. this morning Irish time.The next one is scheduled for October.
It was only the second time the Pentagon had succeeded in intercepting an intercontinental ballistic missile warhead after more than two years of trying, and represents a big boost for a program dogged by failure and controversy.
Two of three previous attempts had failed.
"The early indications are that we have performance in every one of the objectives of the tests that we set," said Lieutenant General Ronald Kadish, director of the US Ballistic Missile Defense Organization.
He said it would be about two months before officials would know whether all objectives of the $100 million test were fully met.
Russia strongly condemned the test as an exercise that jeopardized all previous agreements on nuclear disarmament, while also offering its own hint of compromise.
"We are once again facing a very basic question: Why should we lead things to a point where we threaten the whole architecture in the field of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, at the heart of which lies the 1972 (Anti-Ballistic Missile) agreement," said foreign ministry spokesman Mr Alexander Yakovenko, in reference to the treaty signed by Moscow and Washington.
"The Russian side confirms its position on the utmost need to preserve and strengthen the ABM agreement, and is prepared to discuss all the arising problems in accordance with its role (as a signatory of) this cornerstone treaty."
Mr Yakovenko said Russia was prepared to hold future consultations over missile defense "on the basis of the understanding reached by President Vladimir Putin and US President George W. Bush" at their historic summit last month in Ljubjana.
China issued no immediate response to the US test amid signs its opposition to the shield was weakening, with limited defense shields of the types offered by Russia of more concern now to Beijing.
AFP