U.S., EU wrong in not discussing anti-missile base with Russia: Slovak PM

The United States and European Union (EU) made a mistake as they had not consulted Russia about the planned anti-missile base in the Czech Republic and Poland, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Saturday.

"It has turned out that it was a strategic mistake when the United States and the EU as a whole did not communicate with Russia about the issue," Fico told journalists in Slovakia's capital Bratislava.

"This should be a matter of serious concern for us," Fico said.

Russia's disagreement and threat by nuclear weapons meant that the dispute also related to Slovakia, he added.

According to reports from the Slovak capital of Bratislava, Fico had expressed on Friday his concern over the U.S. anti-missile plan during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The position of Fico, who heads the leftist Smer (Direction)-Social Democracy (Smer-SD), differs from the official position of the Slovak Foreign Ministry that earlier said the anti-missile system would enhance security in central Europe and the issue must be discussed within NATO.

Washington in January proposed installing parts of its missile defense shield in central Europe, including 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic.

Russia sharply opposed to the stationing of U.S. base in Europe and warned that it would take efficient measures against this security threat.

Source: Xinhua