US: We Haven't Asked Bulgaria to Host Missile Defense Shield

Tauscher also told journalists that the US does not intend to have elements of the missile defense shield in the Black Sea. Photo by washingtonindependent.com

Ellen Tauscher, the US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, has stated that the US has not requested Bulgaria to adopt elements of the planned US missile defense shield.

Tauscher also told journalists that the US does not intend to have elements of the missile defense shield in the Black Sea, she however stated that the possibility of Bulgarian participation in the project remains open.

She continued that “The Russians have been consistently advised as to what the phased adapted approach is and what the plans are for the four pieces of the timetable since the announcement was made by President Obama in mid-September,” she said.

“And my Russian counterparts were informed that I was going to be in Romania and that the President was going to offer Romania the opportunity to host phase 2 in 2015 - the land-based SM-3 site. And we have a Ballistic Missile Defense review and the Russians have been consistently briefed on it as our NATO allies,” Tauscher concluded cited by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS.

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