WORLD> Europe
Russia suspends missile deployment in Kaliningrad
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-28 16:31

MOSCOW - Russia has decided to suspend its plan to deploy Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad as the new US administration has indicated it would not speed up its missile shield plans in Europe, Interfax news agency reported Wednesday.

"These plans have been suspended because the new US administration is not pushing ahead with the plans to deploy the third phase of the US missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic," a Russian General Staff official was quoted as saying.

"Russia does not need to deploy Iskanders in the Kaliningrad region if the US does not install its missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe," he said.

The United States, Poland and the Czech Republic have signed agreements to deploy parts of the US global missile shield in the East European countries, including a radar station in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland.

Russia objects to the anti-missile shield plan, warning it will deploy a short-range missile system in its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad bordering Poland.

Before Obama's inauguration, several rounds of talks between senior officials from Washington and Moscow on the missile shield have failed to reach a deal.