IMPACTS: USA ALLIES OPPOSE NMD

EUROPE OPPOSES MISSILE DEFENSE DEPLOYMENT

William Drozdiak, Washington Post Foreign Service The Washington Post, November 6, 1999, SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A01 HEADLINE: Possible U.S.Missile Shield Alarms Europe; Allies Fear Arms Race, Diminished Security Ties // ln-acs-11-11-99

The American campaign to develop a protective shield against ballistic nuclear missiles is provoking serious alarm among the European allies, who fear that it could weaken the political and military links between the United States and Europe and trigger a dangerous arms race with Russia and China.

MISSILE DEFENSE DEPLOYMENT WILL LEAD TO A DANGEROUS DECOUPLING OF THE USA FROM EUROPE

The symbolism behind U.S. intentions to change the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty so that it may build a missile shield has not been lost on foreign leaders, who have seized on the issue to warn the United States about the dangers of retreating into a fortress mentality.

"There is no doubt that this would lead to split security standards within the NATO alliance," said German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer during a trip to Washington this week. "I see lots of problems developing in this respect, which we must discuss calmly and reasonably with our American friends."

Fischer said Germany's commitment to be nonnuclear "was always based on our trust that the United States would protect our interests, that the United States, as the leading nuclear power, would guarantee some sort of order." A drive by the United States to build its own missile defense, he said, would erode that confidence by effectively putting European cities at greater risk of nuclear missile attack than those in America.

KOREA PREFERS ARMS REDUCTION & THE ABM TREATY TO BUSH NMD PLAN

PATRICK E. TYLER, February 28, 2001, The New York Times SECTION: Section A; Page 8; HEADLINE: South Korea Takes Russia's Side in Dispute Over American Plan for Missile Defense //VT2002acsln

"The Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea agreed that the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty is the cornerstone of strategic stability and an important foundation of international efforts on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation," the statement said. "Both sides expressed their hope that the Start II Treaty will enter into force as soon as possible and that as soon as possible after that, the Start III Treaty will be signed and that the ABM Treaty will be preserved and strengthened."

SOUTH KOREA SIDES WITH RUSSIA AGAINST NMD

PATRICK E. TYLER, February 28, 2001, The New York Times SECTION: Section A; Page 8; HEADLINE: South Korea Takes Russia's Side in Dispute Over American Plan for Missile Defense //VT2002acsln

Less than a week before he meets President Bush in Washington, the president of South Korea today publicly took Russia's side in the debate over Washington's plan for a national missile defense.

A joint communique issued by President Kim Dae Jung with the visiting president of Russia, Vladimir V. Putin, declared that the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty, which would be threatened by Washington's project, was a "cornerstone of strategic stability." The treaty should be preserved and strengthened, the communique said.

The declaration by Mr. Kim -- whose country is protected with the help of 37,000 American troops -- was one of the strongest to date by one of America's Asian allies. South Korea's statement echoed concerns among European powers that the United States was pressing forward with missile defenses in a manner that could set off a new round of nuclear competition by Russia, China and South Asia.

SOUTH KOREA OPPOSES THEATER MISSILE DEFENSES

Steven Mufson, Washington Post Staff Writer, The Washington Post September 5, 1999SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A06 HEADLINE: Korean Missiles Push U.S. Defense Plans; Some Fear Buildup Could Hurt Stability // lnu-acs

Some U.S. allies remain unconvinced that missile defense will actually reduce risks of attack. South Korea has declined to participate in building nuclear missile defense systems. A security strategist for the South Korean foreign ministry recently said that Seoul viewed missile defense as too expensive, ineffective against the North Korean threat because of the short flight time between the north and south of the peninsula, and detrimental to relations with "other powers," meaning China.

NATIONS WHO COOPERATE WITH NMD, LIKE THE UK, MAY BECOME TARGETS FOR TERRORISTS

William Safire, January 26, 2001 The Denver Post SECTION: DENVER & THE WEST; Pg. B-07 HEADLINE: Rebalancing U.S.-Europe alliance //VT2002acsln

In Fylingdales, among the black-faced sheep of northern Yorkshire, sits a radar station built by the U.S. If expanded, it could well become an outpost much needed to track missiles on their way to North America and to plot their interception.

The Fylingdales upgrade is resisted because any nation that cooperates with U.S. missile defense might itself become a terrorist target.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN SOLIDARITY TO SUPPORT THE ABM TREATY

ELIZABETH BECKER The New York Times, November 6, 1999, SECTION: Section A; Page 8; HEADLINE: U.S. Seeks Missile System Despite Treaty Risk // ln-acs-11-11-99

Today Russia won support for keeping the treaty intact from many of Washington's allies in a largely symbolic vote at the United Nations. A Russia-sponsored resolution opposing any new missile defense system that "attempts to undermine or circumvent the ABM treaty" won a lopsided committee vote of 54 to 7, with all of the members of the European Union either voting with Russia or abstaining.