Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases

RomaniaInsider.com
By Liam Lever
March 26, 2013

The US military has awarded a further contract for support services at the missile defense base in Deveselu, Romania. The 31-month Base Operations and Services Support (BOSS) contract has gone to to US company Exelis Systems Corporation and is worth some USD 5.7 million, according to the the US Naval Facility Engineering Command (NAVFAC) in Naples, Italy, which granted the contract.

Under the terms agreed, Exelis will provide accommodation, food services, fuel storage and dispensing, supply services, and maintenance including plumbing, electrical services, water and sewage treatment. The contract was awarded on March 19, according to the US Embassy in Romania.

The deal follows an earlier agreement worth USD 3.3 million with a local firm, SC Glacial PROD SRL, headquartered in Ilfov County. The Romanian company was contracted by the US Army Corps of Engineers Europe District to build temporary facilities for the US Ballistic Missile Defense System at the Deveselu Base, according to information published by the US Embassy in Romania.

News broke yesterday (March 25 ) that talks would restart between the US and Russia over the missile defense program, which has been a cause of friction between the two countries. Russia has opposed the plan to put interceptor missiles at various site in Eastern Europe, including Romania …

Read on: www.romania-insider.com/us-military-awards-usd-5-7-mln-contracts-for-missile-defense-base-in-romania-stalled-us-russia-talks-re-start/

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Daily News & Analysis
By Bruno Waterfield (Daily Telegraph)
May 4, 2012

Russia has threatened Nato with military strikes in Poland and Romania if a missile defence radar and interceptors are deployed in Eastern Europe.

General Nikolai Makarov, Russia’s most senior military commander, warned Nato that if it proceeded with an American missile defence system, force would be used against it.

“A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens,” he said.

General Makarov has threatened to target Nato bases hosting an anti-missile system designed by the US to protect European allies against attack from states such as Iran.

He said that Russia would counter Nato deployment by stationing short-range Iskander missiles in the Russian Kaliningrad enclave near Poland, creating the worst military tensions since the Cold War. …

Read on: www.dnaindia.com/world/report_russia-threatens-to-strike-at-nato-missile-defence-bases_1684335

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Voice of America
January 3, 2012

This agreement provides for the deployment of a U.S. ballistic missile defense interceptor site to Romania.

The United States and Romania have announced that the U.S.-Romania Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement has entered into force. This agreement provides for the deployment of a U.S. ballistic missile defense interceptor site to Romania. The interceptor site will be located at Deveselu Air Base as a part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense, the U.S. contribution to NATO missile defense. The base, said both countries, represents a significant contribution to the NATO missile defense capability Allies agreed to develop at the 2010 NATO Summit in Lisbon.

The United States remains committed to proven missile defenses that provide flexibility to address emerging threats. As President Barack Obama has said, “Our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America’s allies. It is more comprehensive than the previous program; it deploys capabilities that are proven and cost-effective; and it sustains and builds upon our commitment to protect the U.S. homeland against long-range ballistic missile threats; and it ensures and enhances the protection of all our NATO Allies.” …

While the BMD interceptor site in Romania will provide a defensive capability to protect Europe and the United States against ballistic missiles launched from the Middle East, it is important to note that this system is neither designed nor capable of undermining the Russian strategic deterrent. In fact, the United States is pursuing missile defense cooperation efforts with the Russian Federation. …

Read in full: www.voanews.com/policy/editorials/US—Romania-Missile-Defense-Comes-Into-Force-136698993.html

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SpaceWar.com
December 6, 2011

The Romanian parliament on Tuesday ratified an accord to host US missile interceptors on its soil, a day before a meeting of the 28 NATO members in Brussels.

The Senate unanimously adopted the draft law ratifying the Romania-US agreement signed in September that would allow the establishment and operation of a US land-based ballistic missile defence system in Romania as part of NATO’s efforts to build a continental missile shield.

“The location of some elements of the US missile shield represents a very important contribution to the security of Romania, the US and and the entire alliance,” Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi told senators, according to Mediafax news agency.

The draft law was adopted by the lower house in November and is now set to be promulgated by President Traian Basescu.

The deployment of the missile interceptors is expected to take place in 2015 at a former airbase in southern Romania. …

Read on: www.spacewar.com/reports/Romania_ratifies_US_missile_shield_agreement_999.html

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RIA Novosti
September 13, 2011

The United States will sign on Tuesday an agreement with Romania on the deployment of elements of its missile shield, the U.S. Department of State said.

“On Tuesday, September 13, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi will sign the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Romania on the Deployment of the Ballistic Missile Defense System in Romania,” the statement said.

“This legally-binding agreement will allow for the establishment and operation of a U.S. land-based SM-3 ballistic missile defense system in Romania,” the statement added. …

Read on: http://en.rian.ru/world/20110913/166800153.html

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Russian Information Agency Novosti
June 7, 2011

The U.S. Navy cruiser Monterey anchored in the Romanian southeastern Passenger Berth of the Port of Constanta on the Black Sea within the NATO European missile shield project, Romania news agency Actmedia said on Tuesday.

“The cruiser’s visit to the Port of Constanta is part of the permanent efforts of the U.S. Navy in strengthening the partnership with the Romanian Navy and of increasing interoperability in the Black Sea area,” the U.S. Embassy to Romania was quoted as saying by the agency.

The Monterey is holding its first appearance within the project. It is equipped with the AEGIS air defense system and missiles.

“Moreover, the USS Monterey cruiser is equipped with the AEGIS air defense system that represents the first stage of the adaptive phase approach of the anti-missile shield, an important element to Romania, which agreed to host interceptors within the second phase of the program.” ..

Russia and NATO agreed to cooperate on the so-called European missile shield during the NATO-Russia Council summit in Lisbon in November 2010. NATO insists there should be two independent systems that exchange information, while Russia favors a joint system.

Russia is opposed to the planned deployment of U.S. missile defense systems near its borders, claiming they would be a security threat. The U.S. is reluctant to provide legally binding guarantees that the system will not be directed against Russia.

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20110607/164491853.html

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Global Security Newswire
May 4, 2011

Russia on Tuesday said its strategic security would be undercut by a plan for Romania to host U.S. missile interceptors, the New York Times reported (see GSN, May 3). …

U.S. government sources dismissed Moscow’s grievances, noting a call by Washington and NATO for Russia to contribute to a collaborative antimissile framework for the European continent, the Times reported. The Obama administration has said that its effort is aimed at protecting Europe from missiles fired from the Middle East, in particular Iran.

“Missile defense cooperation with Russia is a key U.S. goal,” a Defense Department insider said.

“We believe cooperation on missile defense is in the security interest of both our countries,” the source said. “We are actively seeking cooperation with Russia in bilateral channels and through NATO. Cooperation is the best way to provide Russia transparency and reassurances that missile defense is not a threat to its security” (Shanker/Barry, New York Times). …

Meanwhile, discussions between Washington and Moscow on potential antimissile collaboration were not proceeding smoothly, Russian Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said. The sides were expected to hold the discussions from Monday through Thursday this week in Belgium, according to a previous report.

“The current phase are consultations between military officials,” and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov is expected to meet on Thursday with U.S. Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher, Rogozin noted.

“On the whole, I can say that the main problem remains unsolved. It is the problem of sane, coherent and verifiable guarantees that the American system of missile defense that would be deployed in Europe would not target the Russian strategic potential,” the official said.

Moscow was open to certain U.S. suggestions, including the potential establishment of a joint missile threat early warning scheme, Rogozin said.

“But if the firepower of the U.S. missile defense is located near a zone where some of our strategic nuclear forces are deployed, if the area to be covered by the American missile defense pushes deep into the territory of the Russian Federation, we won’t be able to come to an agreement,” the official said. …

www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20110504_4176.php

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U.S. Department of State
Fact Sheet
Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance
May 3, 2011

The United States and Romania jointly selected the Deveselu Air Base near Caracal, Romania, to host a U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System which employs the SM-3 interceptor (also referred to as the “Aegis Ashore System”). The deployment to Romania is anticipated to occur in the 2015 timeframe as part of the second phase of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) – the U.S. national contribution to a NATO missile defense architecture.

The EPAA will provide protection of NATO European territories and populations, and augment protection of the United States, against the increasing threats posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles from the Middle East. At the November 2010 NATO Summit, the Alliance welcomed the EPAA as a U.S. national contribution to the NATO missile defense capability.

Technical Aspects of the United States Ballistic Missile Defense System in Romania

• The site will consist of a radar deckhouse and associated Aegis command, control, and communications suite. Separately, it will house a number of launch modules containing SM-3 interceptors.
• Personnel can live and work safely near the Aegis radar system. The United States has safely operated the Aegis Radar Test site in Moorestown, New Jersey for over 30 years without any danger to people or the environment.
• SM-3 interceptors are for defensive purposes only and have no offensive capability. They carry no explosive warheads of any type, and rely on their kinetic energy to collide with and destroy incoming enemy ballistic missile warheads.
• The Aegis Ashore configuration of the ballistic missile defense system will be thoroughly tested at a specialized test center at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Hawaii starting in 2014.

Proposed Characteristics of the United States Ballistic Missile Defense System in Romania

• The U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense site is approximately 430 acres (175 hectares) and is located within the existing Romanian Air Base at Deveselu.
• An estimated 200 military, government civilians, and support contractors will be required to operate the U.S. facility at the site.

Potential Debris from Intercept

• SM-3 Interceptors based in Romania will not be used for flight tests, and will be launched only in defense against an actual attack.
• The risk of damage or injury from an intercept and debris are small and pose little threat to people and property. The alternative (allowing a threat warhead to impact its target) likely would result in far more severe consequences.

Proven Defensive Capabilities

• The Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system incorporates decades of reliable and effective operations of the Aegis ship-based system into its design and test program.
• The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System has been proven effective through repeated testing. Since 2002, the system has been successful in 21 of 25 flight tests with the SM-3 interceptor.

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ITAR-TASS
February 23

The Moldovan government has supported U.S. plans to base elements of its missile defence shield in Romania. The deployment of missile defence elements in Romania gives an opportunity to increase defence potential of Europe in conditions of a continuing proliferation of nuclear technologies and threats posed by short- and medium-range missiles, said a statement of the Moldovan government issued on Tuesday.

“The government has taken into consideration Romanian-American agreements concerning prospects to deploy in Romania elements of a missile defence system in Europe, as well as its openness for participation of other interested parties with an aim of strengthening general security,” the document said.

It stressed that “each state has the right to decide itself in accordance with its national interests as to the system and mechanisms for ensuring its own security,” it said.

At the same time, the decision of the Romanian authorities to deploy missile defence elements has caused concerns of some influential parties and politicians in Moldova. They believe the emergence of American missiles close to Moldovan borders threatens stability and security in the region, as well as will directly or indirectly influence the process of negotiations on the breakaway Dniester region.

www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14852608&PageNum=0

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BBC News
February 4, 2010

Romania has agreed to host missile interceptors as part of a new US defence shield, its president says.

President Traian Basescu said the plan was approved by the defence council. It still needs parliamentary approval.

The US scrapped a previous missile shield, based in Poland and the Czech Republic, which had infuriated Russia.

Instead the new system would provide better defence from “the emerging threat” of Iranian short- and medium-range missiles, a US official said.

Mr Basescu said the system would “protect the whole of Romania’s territory”, but stressed that it “is not directed against Russia”.

He said Romania will host “ground capabilities to intercept missiles” that would be operational by 2015 if approved by parliament. …

Romania has agreed to host anti-ballistic missile interceptors as part of the administration’s “new missile defence plan… to protect US forward-deployed troops and our NATO allies against current and emerging ballistic missile threats from Iran,” he said.

Mr Obama’s decision to abandon the original plan in September was greeted with enthusiasm in Russia, and came amid attempts to “reset” the relationship between Washington and Moscow.

The anti-ballistic missile shield favoured by former President George W Bush would be replaced by a reconfigured system designed to shoot down short- and medium-range missiles, Mr Obama announced.

He said intelligence suggested Iran was concentrating on shorter-range, not intercontinental, missiles.

The Bush administration plans had infuriated Russia, which threatened to train nuclear warheads on Poland the Czech Republic in response.

The new system is built around ship- and land-based SM-3 missile interceptors.

In October, US Vice-President Joseph Biden visited Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic seeking support for the new system.

Poland has already signed up.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/europe/8498504.stm

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