US new missile shield plan 'no threat to Russia'

Russian foreign minister describes as non-threatening, the US plans to deploy sea-based missiles in the Mediterranean instead of a land-based system near Russia.

Complementing defense apparatuses in Alaska and California, the former US administration had envisioned a 'third deployment site' in the Czech Republic and Poland, where it was supposed to set up a radar and 10 missile interceptors.

The plans, devised to avert alleged missile threats from 'Iran and North Korea,' were met by fierce opposition on the part of Moscow, which denounced them as a 'security threat'.

Buckling under the Kremlin's pressure, the White House scrapped the move last month. Washington, however, has chosen to set up the 'more mobile' sea-based system instead, citing the 'threat of short- and medium-range missiles from Iran.'

This is while The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stressed that its missile capabilities only serve defensive purposes.

"The new plan put forward by the Obama administration to replace the project to deploy the Third Missile Defense Site offers good conditions for dialogue, and according to our assessments, does not pose the risks that were generated by the Third Missile Defense Site project," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday, RIA Novosti reported.

Moscow, though, has insisted it had to carefully study the new plans and has asked for assurance that the new defense apparatus would not be placed in its backyard.