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WORLD NEWS Saturday 24 auguSt 2019

Putin orders Russia to respond after US missile test

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV missile defense site in Ro-
Associated Press mania. He argued that the
MOSCOW (AP) — President Romanian facility and a
Vladimir Putin ordered the prospective similar site in
Russian military on Friday Poland could also be load-
to work out a quid pro quo ed with missiles intended
response after the test of to hit ground targets in-
a new U.S. missile banned stead of interceptors. Pu-
under a now-defunct arms tin has previously pledged
treaty. that Russia wouldn’t de-
In Sunday’s test, a modified ploy the missiles previously
ground-launched version banned by the INF Treaty
of a U.S. Navy Tomahawk to any area before the
cruise missile accurately U.S. does that first, but he
struck its target more than noted Friday that the use
500 kilometers (310 miles) of the universal launcher
away. The test came after means that a covert de-
Moscow and Washington ployment is possible. “How
withdrew from the 1987 In- would we know what they
termediate-range Nuclear will deploy in Romania and
Forces (INF) Treaty. Poland — missile defense
Speaking at a meeting of systems or strike missile
his Security Council, Pu- Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a meeting with members of the Security Council in the systems with a significant
tin charged that the U.S. Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 23, 2019. range?” Putin said. Russia
waged a “propaganda Associated Press long has charged that the
campaign” alleging Rus- sive measures to prepare a serted that the Russian sibly nuclear-tipped cruise U.S. launchers loaded with
sian breaches of the pact symmetrical answer.” cruise missiles Washington - INF-range cruise missiles missile defense interceptors
to “untie its hands to de- The U.S. said it withdrew has long claimed were a facing toward Europe, and could be used for firing sur-
ploy the previously banned from the treaty because of violation of the now-de- that, that’s not a good face-to-surface missiles. Pu-
missiles in different parts of Russian violations, a claim funct Intermediate-range thing,” Esper said.The Rus- tin said that Sunday’s test
the world.” that Moscow has denied. Nuclear Forces, or INF, trea- sian leader noted that Sun- has proven that the U.S.
He ordered the Defense In an interview this week ty, might be armed with day’s test was performed denials have been false.
Ministry and other agen- with Fox News, Defense nuclear warheads. from a launcher similar to “It’s indisputable now,” the
cies to “take comprehen- Secretary Mark Esper as- “Right now Russia has pos- those deployed at a U.S. Russian leader said. q

Australia, Vietnam concerned about China actions in sea row

Associated Press nam, ignoring Hanoi’s calls seven man-made islands
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — to leave the area. in the disputed waters and
Australia and Vietnam on “(We all need to uphold) equipped them with mili-
Friday expressed serious principles that relate to tary runways and outposts.
concern over tensions in freedom of navigation, Morrison and Phuc stopped
the disputed South China freedom of overfly, ensur- short of explicitly naming
Sea, where Hanoi says ing that nations can pursuit China. “I am not here to
China’s gas survey ship has and develop the opportu- make accusations or do
infringed on its territory and nities that exist within their anything of that nature. We
has disrupted Vietnam’s ex- EEZ and within their sea do not take sides,” Morri-
ploration activities. boundaries, and they can son said. Both he and Phuc
Australian Prime Minister go about that business in urged all parties to refrain
Scott Morrison met in Hanoi a way that is uninhabited from the threat or use of
with his counterpart Nguy- and supported and upheld force in settling disputes in
en Xuan Phuc and both by the regional architec- accordance with interna-
leaders called for respect ture and the rule of law that tional law.
of international law and support that free conduct Morrison said he didn’t
freedom of navigation. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, left, and his Vietnamese of activities,” Morrison told want to agree or disagree
counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc pose for a photo during
Earlier the United States said a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, reporters. Phuc said that with the U.S., stressing that
it was deeply concerned Vietnam, Friday, Aug. 23, 2019. the countries were unit- Australia’s position was
that China is continuing Associated Press ed in their position on the consistent. “We are care-
to interfere with Vietnam’s clusive economic zone. tirety and has deployed a South China Sea, where fully calibrated with what
longstanding oil and gas China claims the South survey vessel with armed China has rattled smaller we say but most important,
activities in Vietnam’s ex- China Sea virtually in its en- escorts into waters off Viet- neighbors by constructing respectful,” he said.q