Agreement on Missile Defense Between Russia and the United States Is on the
Horizon
WASHINGTON, April 4, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Riki Ellison,
President of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance,
(www.missiledfenseadvocacy.org), went on record today with his MDAA membership
discussing what an agreement on missile defense between Russia and the United
States would mean in terms of stability and meeting the threat posed by Iran.
His comments include the following:
"On the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George
W. Bush's retreat on the coast of the Black Sea at Sochi in Southern Russia
this Sunday, we as a nation and a world wait with great anticipation for a
collective endorsement of the proposed Missile Defense system to be placed in
Europe and a mutual recognition of the threat from Iran by these two
Presidents and the nations that they represent.
"This potential announcement of making our world safer would follow a
string of international endorsements and acceptance for missile defense and
add to the momentum of what has been achieved politically, technically and
practically with Missile Defense. The significance of yesterday's 26 nations
of NATO's endorsement of the European third site and recognition of the threat
is monumental. The unilateral movement yesterday of the Czech Republic to
agree to the deployment of a U.S. Missile Defense Radar adds great merit to
the commitment and responsibility to help safeguard NATO and Europe from
ballistic missile threats. The success of the U.S. Navy and the Missile
Defense Agency in February of this year, destroying a toxic satellite from
space that posed a risk to human life globally, if not intercepted added to
the credibility and usability of missile defense.
"The demonstrated United States testing successes of the various missile
defense systems and intercepts including the Japanese this past December
propels the international acceptance of missile defense. Iran's continued
quest for nuclear technology and proliferation of ballistic missiles to go
beyond 1,300 kilometers remains the most ominous driver for the collective
international action of missile defense."
"The displayed international resolve on missile defense provides another
option than what is available today to confront Iran and those in the future
that may choose to use ballistic missiles to threaten human life. To have
missile defense in place along with economic sanctions, and diplomatic tools
adds to the stability and safety to NATO as well as prevents the use of
preemptive military force and war."
Note to media: Riki Ellison is available this weekend to discuss the
significance of an agreement on missile defense between Presidents Putin and
Bush. He recently visited both Poland and the Czech Republic and has seen
where the ground-based interceptors and the radar to support them are located.
This is an opportunity to get information prior to a potential announcement
that will be heard around the world. Call Mike Terrill at 602 885-1955 to
arrange.
SOURCE MDAA
Mike Terrill of MDAA, +1-602-885-1955
