US speeding up anti-missile plans: Moscow

Russia accused the United States on Wednesday of accelerating attempts to deploy anti-missile defences in central Europe, despite Moscow's request for a freeze on the project.

Washington's negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic over installing the defences "have not only not been suspended, but additional measures are being taken to speed them up," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin. "There is the impression that the United States is trying to make the realisation of its plans irreversible," Kamynin said in a statement.

Kamynin also reiterated Moscow's dismissal of US accusations that Iran presents a military threat. Russia does not support "a holy alliance against this country," he said.

The ministry spokesman accused Washington of failing to make good on a promise to put US proposals for resolving the dispute into concrete terms, while also failing to take seriously Russia's own proposals.

"Unfortunately the American side prefers not to pay attention that Russia's offer is an alternative -- not a support" for US plans, he said. AFP