Moscow: Bulgaria Must Disclose Aims of US Shield Talks

Moscow's official query over Bulgaria's plans to deploy US air defence missiles on its soil concerns the "aims and existence of such talks", according to a Russian foreign ministry statement.

At a meeting in Moscow on Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov told Bulgaria's ambassador to Russia, Plamen Grozdanov, it would seek an explanation as to the "goals and essences" of its talks with the US.

“In the course of the conversation, Deputy Minister Titov and Ambassador Grozdanov, the sides discussed a broad spectrum of problems of bilateral cooperation with an accent on implementation of mutual projects in the oil and gas sphere – the construction of the South Stream pipeline, the Belene nuclear power plant and the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline,” the ministry said in a press release.

“In the wake of reports on the consultations regarding deployment of the US antiballistic missile systems in Bulgaria, which the Bulgarian government is holding with the US, the Russian side told Ambassador Grozdanov it is sending an official inquiry and hopes to get explanations for the purposes and essence of the talks,” it said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has already asked for an explanation from the US about its missile defence plans.

The news comes days after Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said he supports plans for taking part in a new US missile defence system in Europe.

James Warlick, the US ambassador to Bulgaria, said last week that the United States was holding informal talks with the Balkan country on hosting elements of a US missile shield on its soil.

Warlick played down Russian fears about the system by reiterating President Barack Obama's statement that America wanted "a strong, peaceful, and prosperous Russia."

"The United States will not ask the Bulgarian government or people to choose between Moscow and Washington," he added.

Neighboring Romania announced two weeks ago that it would host interceptor missiles as part of a US missile defense system on its soil.

A US State Department official said earlier the facilities in Romania are to become operational by 2015 and are designed as protection against "current and emerging ballistic missile threats from Iran."

The planned deployment in Bulgaria and Romania comes after US President Barack Obama scrapped plans for a radar and interceptor missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland, which Russia fiercely opposed as a national security threat and a blow on its nuclear deterrent.

The plans have drawn sharp criticism from Moscow, where officials described the earlier project to base radar and missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland as a threat to Russia.

Washington says the missile shield is designed to protect against short- and medium-range missiles from Iran, and is not directed against Russia.