A threat to world security: Putin

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, NOV. 12. Terrorism, rather than ``rogue'' missiles, threatens strategic stability, the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, said hours before leaving for a crucial visit to the United States.

``Terrorism today threatens not only separate countries, but the entire system of strategic stability,'' Mr. Putin told an annual meeting with armed forces commanders on Monday.

``We know that the aim of the terrorists is to obtain weapons of mass destruction, while bioterrorism has already become a fact. This is a dangerous signal, which calls for adjusting our defence priorities.''

Moscow has been arguing that the most serious threat to world peace came from terrorists rather than from nations with capabilities to launch a limited missile attack.

Mr. Putin's remarks were apparently meant to bolster Moscow's case against Washington's plans to build a missile shield against likely missile attacks from ``rogue states.''

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Section  : International
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