MOSCOW, BEIJING HUDDLE OVER U.S. ABM TREATY WITHDRAWAL

In the wake of the White House's official withdrawal from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, Russia and the PRC have held talks on strategic stability in which both countries reiterated their opposition to U.S. missile defense plans, the Hong Kong Agence France Presse (December 18) reports. In the wake of the consultations, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a public statement revealing that the two countries had developed a "consensus" in their approach to Washington's missile defense initiative. The news came just days after Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, announced that he did not preclude the possibility that Moscow could back out of the 1993 START II strategic arms reduction agreement as a response to the Bush Administration's decision to scrap the ABM Treaty (RIA-Novosti, December 16).

RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER WARNS OF TERRORIST MISSILE THREAT...

Echoing American worries about future forms of terrorist attack, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has publicly warned of the danger of terrorist cells acquiring "nonstrategic ballistic missiles," the Itar-Tass news agency reported on December 19th. Speaking to the Belgian Royal Higher Institute for Defence in Brussels, Ivanov stressed the possibility that terrorist groups could acquire such weapons, which he claimed a number of groups are already developing. According to Ivanov, this underscores the urgency for a multifaceted European anti-ballistic missile system "capable of intercepting all types of targets, ranging from aerodynamic ones, including cruise missiles, to nonstrategic ballistic missiles."

...DENIES RUSSIA'S ROLE IN IRAN'S BALLISTIC MISSILE, WMD DEVELOPMENT

In his comments to Belgian Royal Higher Institute, Ivanov also addressed growing international concerns about Moscow's role in Iranian ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) development. The Russian Foreign Minister flatly denied reports of Russian ballistic missile assistance to Iran, and ridiculed concerns over his country's role in developing Tehran's WMD capabilities as "hackneyed concoctions." According to the Russian Defense Minister: "Peaceful cooperation in the nuclear sphere is developing successfully between Russia and Iran, and it is fully in line with international standards of nonproliferation."

[Editor's Note: Ivanov's assurances notwithstanding, mounting evidence suggests Moscow is continuing and even expanding its involvement in Tehran's ballistic missile and WMD programs. Russian assistance was reportedly integral to Iran's successful test of its Shahab-3 ICBM back in July of 1999, and U.S. officials have expressed growing uneasiness that such ongoing technical and material assistance is giving a significant boost to Iran's offensive WMD programs.]

BULGARIA SET TO DISMANTLE BALLISTIC MISSILE STOCKPILE

Sofia has decided to decommission its Soviet-era ballistic missiles as part of a bid to join NATO. On December 19th, the Bulgarian parliament officially ruled to eliminate the country's eight aging SS-23 medium-range tactical missiles by October 30, 2002, Reuters reported the same day. The move reflects growing determination by Bulgaria, currently a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, to boost its chances for full NATO membership by undertaking wide-ranging military reforms. According to Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov, dismantlement of the rockets will be accomplished with financial and technical assistance from the United States.

WASHINGTON AIMS FOR EXPANDED COOPERATION WITH JERUSALEM...

The White House intends to step up its cooperation with Israel in the sphere of missile defense, according to Middle East Newsline (December 21). Addressing a major strategic conference in Herzliya, Israel via satellite, U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice unveiled the Bush Administration's plans for an expanded missile defense relationship with the Israeli government modeled after current cooperation on the joint Arrow-2 program. "The kind of cooperation that we have on Arrow can be a hallmark of what we do in the future," according to Rice. "We are in constant discussion with Israel." The expanded dialogue would likely also include proliferation and arms control issues.

...AS THREATS FROM IRAQ MOUNT

American officials are increasingly apprehensive about the threat posed by Iraq, the December 18th Middle East Newsline reports. According to sources cited by the news agency, Baghdad has accelerated work on its strategic weapons programs since the withdrawal of UN weapons inspectors in late 1998, and now reportedly possesses chemical, biological and nuclear capabilities on a par with those of the Iraqi government prior to the 1991 Gulf War. The news has prompted a public call for action against Saddam Hussein from leading lawmakers. A recent public letter to the President from 10 Congressional leaders appealed to the Bush Administration to target Baghdad in the next phase of its war on terror. "We believe we must directly confront Saddam, sooner rather than later," the letter urged.

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