The plan to deploy a U.S. ABM base in Europe is an erroneous step, which is fraught with negative consequences for international security, spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin said on Friday.

"Deployment of a U.S. missile defense base in Europe cannot be regarded otherwise than a substantial reconfiguration of the American military presence in Europe," Kamynin was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

"No matter what arguments are proffered to us to allege that this base will not be spearheaded against Russia and its purpose will be preventing the proliferation of mass destruction weapons and to counter the missile threat, emanating from different Asian directions, we cannot overlook the fact that a strategic component is being consistently added to the American armed forces in this region," Kamynin said.

"The existence of such a base near our border will be a factor, which we shall have to reckon with in determining the Russian steps on the military-political scene and in practical military construction, too," Kamynin said.

Washington wanted to install up to 10 ground-based interceptors in Poland and an advanced radar station in the Czech Republic, Henry A. Obering, head of the U.S. Defense Department's Missile Defense Agency, told reporters at a telephone news conference on Thursday.

If negotiations on the proposed missile defense system with Poland and the Czech Republic failed, the United States had other options, he said.

Obering said interceptors and radar could go elsewhere in Europe if necessary, without giving details on any fallbacks.

According to him, Washington's proposed missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic are designed to counter the potential missile threat from Iran and will not affect Russian security.

On Sunday, the U.S. State Department said the Czech Republic and Poland had agreed to start detailed discussions with Washington on hosting part of a U.S.-built shield against ballistic missiles.

Source: Xinhua