145;US defence drill in UK alarming146;

Russia has expressed concern over the reported deployment of US missile interceptors in Britain, saying it would be 8216;8216;a new alarmi...

Russia has expressed concern over the reported deployment of US missile interceptors in Britain, saying it would be 8216;8216;a new alarming step8217;8217; towards escalating the deployment of the US missile defence system.

8216;8216;We possess no official information on that score. But if such a joint decision of the United States and Britain did take place, it would represent an alarming new step towards an escalated deployment of the US missile defence system,8217;8217; a Russian Foreign Ministry statement said, commenting on the report in a section of the British press, that Prime Minister Tony Blair has given a secret consent to US President George W. Bush to deploy US missile interceptors at the RAF Fylingdales radar base in North Yorkshire.

8216;8216;This kind of step would have to be viewed in relation to other elements of a US plan to deploy missile defence components in Europe8212;to station a group of ground-based long-range interceptor missiles and a missile defence radar station within certain East European countries and to upgrade the radar stations in Greenland and in Britain for missile defence purposes,8217;8217; the statement pointed out.

8216;8216;So this involves setting up already two new missile defence bases outside the US national territory, which by virtue of their geographical position, can pose a threat to Russia8217;s nuclear deterrence capability,8217;8217; the statement stressed. The statement said that although the US gave Russia assurances that the missile defence system now being established8212;together with its foreign bases8212;was not aimed at Russia, the questioned remained about how that 8216;8216;not being aimed8221; will be provided and assured.

8216;8216;So long as there is no answer to the question, the Russian side cannot but take into account a possible threat to the security of Russia,8217;8217; it noted. 8216;8216;We are going to carefully analyse the situation and, if necessary, will take adequate measures to ensure our security,8217;8217; the statement warned.