USA Could Launch Nmd System In 6-7 Years

The United States may start deploying a national missile defence system not earlier than in 6-7 years, such an opinion was shared with the press by Sergei Rogov, the director of the Institute of the US and Canadian Studies, on Wednesday. Mr Rogov is taking part in an international strategic stability conference underway in Moscow. "At the present time, the Americans just have nothing to deploy. For the next five years to come they will have to carry out research, experiments and tests of NMD elements," Rogov said. "Only then will it be possible to decide on deploying such a system," he added. Commenting on Washington's proposal to refrain from the mechanisms of control and verification of the process of strategic offensive arms reductions, Sergei Rogov called this position "demanding". He said he was sure Russia would never consent to it. As to the quantitative parameters of strategic arms cuts, Mr Rogov said the American side had been showing specific progress though they had not realised it in full yet. "Obviously, in the next few months we will know whether our expectations have been justified," he stressed. According to him, the US intention to unilaterally withdraw from the ABM Treaty as early as this November was a political game. The fact that the Americans "have not held their promise to withdraw from the Treaty resolving to maintain its framework seems to be of great importance," he said. "This is our first small victory," Sergei Rogov emphasised.