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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 19 december 2018

Putin: Russia has enough missiles without violating treaty

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Putin said the Russian mili- adding: "God only knows
MOSCOW (AP) — President tary has successfully test- why the Soviet leadership
Vladimir Putin on Tuesday ed air-launched Kh-101 did it."
rejected the U.S. claim that and sea-launched Kalibr He emphasized that with
Russia developed a new cruise missiles with a range Russian strategic bombers
cruise missile in violation of of 4,500 kilometers (2,790 and navy ships now armed
a key nuclear treaty, argu- miles) in combat in Syria. with long-range cruise mis-
ing that Russia has no need "It has probably made siles, it makes the develop-
for such a land-based our partners worry, but it ment of similar land-based
weapon because it al- doesn't violate the INF trea- weapons redundant.
ready has similar missiles on ty," Putin said. "It makes no difference
its ships and aircraft. Putin said the treaty signed whatsoever if we have a
Washington warned this by U.S. President Ronald Kalibr-armed submarine or
month it would suspend its Reagan and Soviet leader aircraft carrying missiles or
obligations under the Inter- Mikhail Gorbachev didn't similar weapons ashore,"
mediate-Range Nuclear limit sea- and air-launched he said. "We can strike any
Forces Treaty (INF) in 60 Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with the top cruise missiles, which the targets within the range of
military staff in the Russian Defense Ministry's headquarters in
days if Russia did not return Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018. Soviet Union didn't have 4,500 kilometers from the
to full compliance. The U.S. Associated Press at the time and the Unit- territory of Russia."
claims the 9M729 cruise mis- ed States did in significant Putin added, however, that
sile breaches the INF, which Moscow has repeatedly developing a land-based numbers. Russia could easily build
bans all land-based cruise denied the accusation. cruise missile, saying Rus- The Russian president ar- such land-based missiles if
and ballistic missiles with a Speaking to Russia's top sia now has similar air- and gued that the pact repre- the U.S. opts out of the INF
range of 500 to 5,500 kilo- military brass Tuesday, Putin sea-launched weapons to sented "unilateral disarma- Treaty, which he described
meters (300 to 3,400 miles.) rejected the U.S. claim of do the job. ment" for the Soviet Union, as a key stabilizing factor.q

Hungary: Opposition vows renewed protests after holiday lull

By KESTER EDDY er was sent to the hospi- of surprise".
Associated Press tal Monday after a clash The main focus of the pro-
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) with MTVA security guards; tests has been a law allow-
— Street demonstrations tests showed he had inter- ing employers to request
against recent labor law nal bruising, but no broken up to 400 overtime hours
changes in Hungary ap- bones. Three others com- from their workers annually
peared to wane on their plained of rough treat- - potentially reintroducing
sixth day, but opposition ment. Timea Szabo, a law- a six-day week - while de-
lawmakers vowed Tuesday maker for the center-left laying payments for up to
to pursue legal and parlia- Dialogue party, said the three years.
mentary avenues to thwart opposition remained com- The right-wing government
the government while al- mitted to fighting the gov- of Prime Minister Viktor Or-
lowing for a Christmastime ernment-initiated changes ban, which won a third
lull. to overtime work laws. consecutive term in April's
About 150 to 200 people "We're planning civil dis- national election, said the
assembled outside the obedience actions, road overtime rules were de- Anti-government demonstrators march across Margaret Bridge
Hungarian parliament blocks with the trade signed to ease an acute over the River Danube with the Parliament building in the back-
building in Budapest Tues- unions, and further dem- labor shortage and to en- ground, in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018.
day evening, compared onstrations," Szabo told for- able workers to earn more. Associated Press
to an estimated 2,000 that eign journalists on Tuesday. The government has said
confronted police a night She declined to give de- that working overtime changes invite coercion "According to word of the
earlier at the headquarters tails, citing the need to will be voluntary for em- of industrial sector workers law, there has to be con-
of state broadcaster MTVA. both coordinate action ployees. However, critics who have had their rights sensus between the em-
One opposition lawmak- and maintain "the element say that in practice, the subdued for decades. ployer and employee. q