Russia condemns U.S. missile deal

Russia has warned that a U.S.-Polish missile defense deal creates a new arms race in Europe and beyond. A foreign ministry statement said that Moscow "will be forced to react, and not only through diplomatic demarches". It did not elaborate. Russia condemns U.S. missile deal The comments came just hours after the U.S. and Poland signed the deal to locate 10 U.S. interceptor rockets in Poland. The U.S. says the system will protect the US and Europe against missiles from "rogue" states such as Iran. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice - who signed the deal in Warsaw - said Moscow's earlier warning that the base on Polish soil could become a target for a nuclear attack "bordered on the bizarre". Rice also emphasized that the missile system was "defensive and aimed at no-one". Last month, the U.S. signed an agreement with the Czech Republic to base tracking radars there as part of the defense system. Washington wants the sites to be in operation by about 2012. The Russian foreign ministry said the planned missile shield was aimed at weakening Moscow, describing it as part of "US efforts to change the strategic balance of power in its favor". It said the shield was "one of the instruments in an extremely dangerous bundle of U.S. military projects involving the one-sided development of a global anti-missile system". The statement also dismissed U.S. claims of a missile threat from Iran as "imaginary". However, the ministry said that Russia was still prepared to continue dialogue on the U.S. missile shield with all parties involved. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski (Beta)

Russia condemns U.S. missile deal

The comments came just hours after the U.S. and Poland signed the deal to locate 10 U.S. interceptor rockets in Poland.

The U.S. says the system will protect the US and Europe against missiles from "rogue" states such as Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice - who signed the deal in Warsaw - said Moscow's earlier warning that the base on Polish soil could become a target for a nuclear attack "bordered on the bizarre".

Rice also emphasized that the missile system was "defensive and aimed at no-one".

Last month, the U.S. signed an agreement with the Czech Republic to base tracking radars there as part of the defense system.

Washington wants the sites to be in operation by about 2012.

The Russian foreign ministry said the planned missile shield was aimed at weakening Moscow, describing it as part of "US efforts to change the strategic balance of power in its favor".

It said the shield was "one of the instruments in an extremely dangerous bundle of U.S. military projects involving the one-sided development of a global anti-missile system".

The statement also dismissed U.S. claims of a missile threat from Iran as "imaginary".

However, the ministry said that Russia was still prepared to continue dialogue on the U.S. missile shield with all parties involved.