Washington briefing: U.S. official: No plans for missile defense in non-NATO states

by Emil Sanamyan

Published: Thursday October 22, 2009

Alexander Vershbow in Kazakhstan last June. NATO website

Washington - A senior U.S. defense official this week denied reports about U.S. intentions to base radar in the Caucasus that could track missile launches from Iran, news agencies reported.

"We are not consulting with any non-NATO countries and we do not envisage the placement of elements of our new architecture on the territory of non-NATO member states," Assistant Secretary of Defense Alexander Vershbow told journalists while on a visit to Georgia on October 19-20.

Speculation about some form of U.S. military presence in the Caucasus has gone on for years. It was rekindled last month when Gen. James Cartwright, vice-chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted a preference for the placement of radar in the Caucasus or Turkey. There have also been reports of American radar possibly being based in Ukraine.

Mr. Vershbow's remarks may have also been intended to reflect a U.S. interest in Turkey, a NATO member, as the preferred radar site.

The Pentagon official was in Tbilisi as part of the bilateral dialogue through the Strategic Partnership Council set up by Georgia and the United States last January.