A US plan to build a missile defence shield in eastern Europe is part of a scheme to encircle Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today.
Lavrov and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said this week they had failed to bridge their long-standing differences over US plans to put 10 missile interceptors in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic as part of a system to shield Europe from missile attack.
"These Czech and Polish locations perfectly fit into the overall global design of the American missile defence which is surrounding the perimeters of the Russian borders," Lavrov told the BBC World television channel, speaking in English.
"If you keep them in Poland and the Czech Republic, it's a perfect place to intercept Russian ballistic missiles located in the northwest part of Russia."
Lavrov's comments came three days after Rice said the two countries had agreed to tone down their rhetoric. Recent remarks have revived memories of the Cold War.