On January 31, 2001 at a press conference organised in the central office of the Interfax news agency, the leader of Yabloko Grigory Yavlinsky spoke in favour of a joint Russian-European ABM system, an analogue to the US system.

Photo: Yabloko�s leader Grigory Yavlinsky at a press conference in the central office of Interfax. January 31, 2001. Photo by Sergei Loktionov, Press Service, Yabloko.

�If the USA is entitled to create a limited ABM system which will protect them from unsanctioned missile launches, including launches from unpredictable states, Russia and Europe have the right to create such a system too,� stated Yavlinsky.

He added: �Considering the military, geographic and geostrategic issues, the European anti-missile defence system can be created only with Russian potential and the participation of Europe.�

Yavlinsky also reminded the press that proposals to create a Russian-European ABM system were first formulated at the end of 1997. Then the initiative was discussed by Yabloko�s leader and representatives of the former US administration, in particular Vice-President Albert Gore and State Secretary Madeleine Albright.

Yavlinsky added: �Simultaneously I discussed these initiatives with Boris Yeltsin, who asked me to develop this direction.� He said that since September 1999 �this issue has been discussed with Vladimir Putin�.

Grigory Yavlinsky also said that he had issued a report on the ABM system in Berlin several days ago, at a representative meeting on security issues. Participants included the Chancellor of Austria, the German Defence Minister and Javier Solana, former Secretary of NATO who is today a top EU official on foreign policy and defence policy issues. �My report was submitted as a possible letter from our President to the US President,� said Grigory Yavlinsky.

�All the topics covered in the letter are very important for debate and will soon be discussed in one way or another,� stressed Yavlinsky.

Grigory Yavlinsky also said that it was important to intensify discussions on the AMB issue, as a new administration had just come to power in the USA.

Based on Interfax reports.

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