Putin surprised US refuse to sign antimissile defence agreement, though US claims the system is not targeted against Russia

MOSCOW, April 17 (Itar-Tass) - Vladimir Putin is surprised the US has been refusing to sign a legally binding agreement on antimissile defence, though the US claims the system is not targeted against Russia. “It /the antimissile defence/ is not a system of defence. It is a part of attacking potential, which is taken to outlying locations. We are being told: “It is not against you”, but experts realize deployment of those systems is closer to our borders, it covers positions of our strategic missiles,” the president said. “We suggest signing a paper stating /the antimissile system/ is not targeted against us,” Putin said during a Q&A session on Thursday. “The Americans are offering reasons and would not hear us.” “Whenever those elements are deployed in Europe, we have been saying many times that we shall have to respond somehow. It is a clear arms race. Why doing so? We should consider jointly the problem whether there are whatever missile threats. We should settle those issues: to determine the directions, the control systems and access to them. This should be done jointly. But, no, they would not.” “We shall be tolerant and will continue negotiations,” the president said. Anyway, Russia “will do everything to guarantee security of our people.” Learn more on itar-tass.com