http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5155680.ece
November 14th
President Nicolas Sarkozy pleads for halt to European missile row.
President Nicolas Sarkozy of France proposed a time-out today in the dangerous arms race prompted by Washington's plans to position a missile defence shield in Europe.
Speaking after hosting an EU-Russian summit in the southern city of Nice, Mr Sarkozy proposed that a security summit be held next summer at which Russia, the United States and Europe could hammer out a long-term security framework. He added that the proposed missile shield would do "nothing" to help European security.
Mr Sarkozy appears to have won the agreement of his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, who threatened last week to site short-range nuclear missiles in the western enclave of Kaliningrad, on the borders of the EU.
"I have suggested that in mid-2009 we could meet within a framework to lay the foundations of what could possibly be a future pan-European security system," Mr Sarkozy said at a joint press conference with Mr Medvedev. "This would bring together the Russians, the American and the Europeans."
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Mr Sarkozy said that the pact could be discussed next year at a summit of the Organisation of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), adding: "Between now and then, please, no more talk of missile deployment or anti-missile deployment."
Responding to the proposal, Mr Medvedev called for all sides in the dispute to avoid “unilateral measures” before the new framework is agreed. He also defended the Russian plans to site missiles in Kaliningrad, calling it “a response to various nations in Europe who, without consulting anyone, agreed to deploy new weapons on their soil”.
The missile row has helped bring about a major deterioration in US-Russian relations, which have returned to Cold War levels of frostiness.
cont.on link above.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-11-14-voa28.cfm
EU, Russia Discuss European Missile Defense
November 14th
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has urged his Russian counterpart not to carry out a threat to deploy tactical missiles in Russia's Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad.
Mr. Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev spoke Friday after a Russia-European Union summit in the French city of Nice. France currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
Mr. Medvedev last week said Russia will put missiles in the Kaliningrad region if the United States implements plans to place a missile defense system in central Europe. He later said he will cancel the deployment if the U.S. scraps missile plans for Poland and the Czech Republic.
U.S. officials say their planned system will defend against an Iranian threat.
On other issues, the French and Russian presidents reported reaching consensus on the global financial crisis. Both men will join other world leaders in Washington Friday evening for the G-20 summit.
The French president also said he wants to lay the foundation for a new European security accord, possibly at an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe meeting in mid-2009.
Mr. Sarkozy said Russia had to a large part complied with a French-brokered cease-fire that halted fighting after Russian troops swept into Georgia in August.
EU officials froze ties with Russia in response, but the bloc agreed this week to resume talks on a strategic partnership agreement.
But the union maintains its view that Russia's violation of Georgia's territorial integrity is unacceptable and it continues to reject Russia's recognition of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries.