俄美围绕NMD问题的争斗

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND USA OVER NMD

目前，NMD问题已成为俄美关系中最突出的问题。为了实现各自的国家战略利益，双方围绕NMD问题进行着激烈的较量，俄美关系面临新的危机。但双方仍留有一定的回旋余地。

Senior Researcher of the Institute for East European and Central Asian Studies, CASS and Guest Researcher of CPDS. This is the first article being published in our jounal, which specially discusses NMD problem with regard to Russia. In its first part, the article gives a brief picture of America's strategic defense from Reagan's SDI to Clinton's NMD which has finally become a national policy of the United States. The second part mainly discusses Russia's anxiety and dissatisfaction toward the NMD. Although the United States has reiterated time and again that the NMD will be limited and will aim against the “rogue states” only, Russia still believes that the true aim for the United States is to break the decades old military balance between the two powers, thus obtaining an unilateral military superiority. Russia argues that in such a case the possibility of a second performance of Yugoslav tragedy can not be excluded. The article's third part describes Russian President Putin's resolute measures and actions taken to check the deployment of NMD by the United States. Up to now, Russia's leaders have been firm in stand, not allowing the US to revise the “ABM Treaty”. Russia has also put forward a series of suggestions, including that both Russia and America jointly establish a ABM system of non strategic nature. On the other hand, Russia has been fully prepared for America's ultimate withdrawal from the ABM Treaty. If it happens, Russia would consider its own withdrawal from all bilateral agreements with the United States on reduction of nuclear forces, START II included. However, for the time being, a possiblility can not be entirely excluded that Russia would make compromise with the United States.