NATO’s chief calls for missile defense shield

NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has called to develop the EU-backed missile system with Russia's cooperation to defend from Iran, ITAR-TASS agency reported. 

He said that it would be necessary to ensure Russia's cooperation in a 200-million-euro project, because "we would have a NATO system alongside a Russian system," the Telegraph reported. Mr Rasmussen said he hopes the project will be approved by the November NATO’s summit in Lisbon and added that it has already been backed by the United States.

NATO’s Secretary General citied the Iranian authorities who had declared that Iran owns long-ranged missile systems and would develop them. “If Iran finally gets the nuclear arms then it will become a serious challenge and threat to the allied nations,” said Mr Rasmussen. He added that the missile system along Europe can be created on the basis of the existing systems as this will simplify the program and will make it cheaper.

From these points of view, Rasmussen proposed to cooperate with Russia: “If NATO decides to create the missile system across Europe, then it should be in cooperation with Russians.”