MOSCOW IS CATEGORIQUEMENT AGAINST ANY CORRECTION OF DRAFT ABM









MOSCOW, March 2.  (Corr. Ria " Novosti " Piotr Gontcharov).  The
position of Russia on Draft ABM of 1972 remains invariable:  Moscow is
categoriquement against its change, A declares Friday a source
diplomatic high placee.

According to the source, Russia does not estimate that the strategic
situation in the world underwent the changes justifying the correction
of Draft ABM of 1972.

Source A stresses that Moscow did not share the americains points of
view of on the so-called threats emanating from the missiles of
certain countries which are used as justification has the creation of
the national system of anti-missile defense (NMD) in the United
States.

Moscow is very anxious americains plans of creation of the NMD, A
underlines the source.

Nevertheless, Russia " does not lose the hope to find compromises ",
indicates the source, by explaining why that supposes the
implementation of the aiming action plan has to maintain stability
strategic proposed by Russia.

This position has ete confirmee in the made statement on last 13
November by Russian president Vladimir Poutine, has rappele the
diplomat.

According to him, in the framework of this program, Russia prevoit to
maintain intact Draft ABM of 1972 and to pass, on its basis, to the
actions ulterieures in order to reduce the offensive armaments
strategic (START).

According to the diplomat, it is in particular about " the
implementation of the joint statement made by the presidents of Russia
and of the United States on September 2, 1998 on the opening of the
negotiations on the START-3 at once after the ratification of the
START-2 by Russia ".  In his declaration of November 13, the Russian
president has reaffirme the will of Russia to reduce the nuclear
warheads has 1 500 and at the lower level, has rappele the diplomatic
source.