Text Fwd: US 'missile defence' move criticised by CND

* Sent by Bruce Gagnon on Feb. 4, 2010

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

press office: 07968 420859
switchboard: 020 7700 2393
e-mail: pressoffice@cnduk.org
web: www.cnduk.org


Press Release
Thursday 4th February

Attn: News Desks / Political / Europe / Defence Correspondents


US 'missile defence' move criticised by CND

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament regrets moves towards the establishment of a US interceptor missile base in Romania, announced only days after plans emerged to site Patriot batteries in four Gulf states. CND criticised the move as part of a deepening entrenchment of US forces in the region.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said "President Obama's reconfiguration of plans for the Czech Republic and Poland allowed the 'reset' of relations with Russia. But deploying an ever-greater number of military systems across eastern Europe does nothing to help the US and Russia conclude a successor to the START disarmament treaty. Nor does it help make Europe safer. The suggestion that Aegis missile defence ships may patrol the Baltic and the Black Sea and that a Ukrainian radar may be used in the system, means there is a real risk that the thawing of US-Russian relations will be sent off-course. The US move to make permanent a temporary military base in Romania - and continued efforts to expand NATO - all serve to push Europe towards more military spending when it is completely unnecessary and we can ill afford it."

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1. For further information and interviews please contact Ben Soffa, CND's Press Officer, on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859

2. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is one of Europe's biggest single-issue peace campaigns, with over 35,000 members in the UK. CND campaigns for the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere. www.cnduk.org