Russia does not plan so far to take measures in reply to the United States' decision to withdraw from the ABM Treaty

Russia does not plan so far to take measures in reply of the decision of the United States to withdraw from the ABM Treaty, said Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov at a news conference after the end of the session of the Council of the Defence Ministers of the CIS countries.

He underscored that "there is nothing new in the fact that the United States has confirmed its decision, taken half a year ago, about its withdrawal from the ABM Treaty. This is a sovereign right of the USA. However, said the minister, Russia still believes that this step is erroneous.

"We were fully satisfied with this treaty, therefore we did not agree with the American proposal about the unilateral withdrawal from it," said the Russian Defence Minister. He did not comment on the possible development of the situation after the USA's step. In his opinion,"the perspective of the development of the situation in missile defence is very hazy.

"Architecture of national missile defence as such, be it tactical or strategic, does not exist at all," the minister said. It exists so far only as an imaginary thing." In this connection Sergei Ivanov believes that it is too premature to speak now about any concrete steps of Russia in reply to the actions of the United States.