Rasmussen: NATO doesn’t consider India a missile threatApril 18, 2012 - 20:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - NATO does not consider India as a missile threat despite the country’s advanced missile development program, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday, April 18, RIA Novosti reported. India is all set up to test its domestically-developed Agni-5 ballistic missile with a range of 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles), giving it the ability to target most parts of Asia, including the northernmost parts of China, and large parts of Europe. The three-stage solid-fuel missile will be launched from a site on Wheeler Island in the Bay of Bengal and is expected to reach its target area in southern Indian Ocean. A successful test of the Agni-5 missile will put India in the elite club of nations having Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), which includes the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France. Speaking at a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Rasmussen said the Alliance does not consider India as a threat to NATO allies and territory. He also said the upcoming Chicago summit would declare NATO’s interim missile defense capability as part of the so-called Smart Defense strategy. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |