Posted: February 8, 2008 |
Putin warns of new worldwide arms race |
(Nanowerk News) Russian President Vladimir Putin said here Friday that the world is facing a new arms race, RIA news agency reported.
|
"A new round of the arms race is developing in the world," said Putin, who chaired a meeting of the consultative State Council on Friday to outline the concept of strategic long-term development of the country up to the year 2020.
|
Russian President Vladimir Putin said here Friday that the world is facing a new arms race, RIA news agency reported.
|
"Unfortunately, this does not depend on us. It is not our country that started it," said the president, who will step down after eight years in office following the March 2 presidential elections.
|
Putin said the developed countries, relying on their technological superiority, are channeling billions of dollars into the designing of the next generation of defensive and offensive weapon systems.
|
"Their allocations in the defense sector exceeded Russia's allocations dozens of times," he said.
|
He said that growing military-political threats are forcing Russia to take adequate measures to safeguard its national security, adding that Russia is to respond to these challenges by developing more high-tech weapons.
|
Russian President Vladimir Putin said here Friday that the world is facing a new arms race, RIA news agency reported.
|
"Russia has and will always have a response to these new challenges," said Putin.
|
"Over the next few years, Russia will start production of new types of arms, with the same or even superior specifications compared to those available to other nations," he said.
|
However, Putin stressed that Russia would not be drawn into the new arms race and exhaust its economy and resources.
|
"Finances made available for these purposes should always be commensurate with the country's capabilities and should not be made at the expense of socioeconomic priorities," he said.
|
He pointed out that Russia needs an "innovation army," which could meet modern standards.
|
The president called for the development of Russian science, including nanotechnology, which could be used to develop new types of weapons.
|
During the meeting on Friday, Putin also proposed a series of new development strategies for the country, including a reduction in the state-controlled sector of the economy and creating more incentives for private investment.
|
Relations between Russia and NATO have been strained over Washington's plans to deploy a missile defense shield in eastern Europe, Moscow's suspension of a landmark arms treaty and disagreements over the future of Kosovo.
|