U.S. says Russian anti-missile plan doesn't appear feasible

BRUSSELS, Belgium - U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen said Friday that Russia's proposal for an anti-missile defense system offers no protection for the United States - or even Europe - and consequently isn't feasible.

The Russians and some of the NATO allies oppose Washington's plan to deploy a limited system aimed at shooting down long-range missiles fired by ''rogue nations'' at the United States, saying it would breach the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and tip the balance of nuclear power in the world.

In an apparent attempt to head off American plans before President Clinton makes a final decision this fall, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a vague proposal to work with NATO to create a joint European missile defense system.

On Friday, after Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev presented the allies with Putin's idea at a meeting of the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council, the Russian proposal was still vague.

''It's unclear to me exactly what Russia has in mind,'' Cohen told reporters after a meeting between Sergeyev and NATO defense ministers, and a later bilateral session with the Russian.

''As far as I can determine, it's an idea based on a theater missile defense system, something of intermediate or shorter-range capability, so it is not a system that could provide protection to the United States, or to much of Europe,'' Cohen said. ''So at this point it's an idea that does not appear to be feasible or desirable for protecting us against the kind of threats that are emerging.''

Still, the allies didn't want to give the impression they were rejecting the Russian idea outright, especially at a time when NATO-Russia relations are starting to warm after a yearlong hiatus over Kosovo.

NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said the 19-nation alliance was not yet in a position to evaluate the Russian proposal.

''Questions have been asked, and clearly they will be dealt with at a later stage,'' Robertson said. ''Clarification on such an important issue is of enormous importance. We were not able to do it in the meeting today.''

Sergeyev, a Russian field marshal, did not disclose much to reporters, saying only that Putin's plan involved creation of a tactical anti-ballistic missile system and would not violate the ABM treaty.

That treaty prohibits the use of long-range defensive missiles. A 1997 U.S.-Russia agreement, still unratified, defines long range as essentially any missile capable of flying more than 2,200 miles.

Cohen said if Putin is talking about a theater missile system - missiles with a shorter range - it would not be sufficient to protect the United States, nor much of Europe.

Most of Europe is more than 2,200 miles from potential missile launch sites in Iran, and all of Europe and the United States is more than 2,200 miles from North Korea, Cohen noted. ''A system limited to shorter range threats would not protect the American population,'' he said.

Nonetheless, Cohen said the allies were prepared to continue to explore ways of meeting the security concerns of Russia, Europe and the United States.

The United States says its intelligence assessment indicates rogue nations will be capable of launching long-range missiles carrying weapons of mass destruction by 2005 and any plans to create a defensive umbrella must be started by next year to be operational by that time.

To meet that schedule, the United States must begin building radar sites in Alaska by next spring, meaning Clinton must make the decision by fall.

No matter what the Russian idea turns out to be, Cohen said, ''it could not be a substitute for the American program that is currently under research and development.''