Russian President meets Czech President, comments on missile row

(27 Apr 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Pan, zoom in of Russian President Vladimir Putin walking towards Czech President Vaclav Klaus, shaking hands with him
2. Mid of of Kremlin guard
3. Wide of leaders taking seats in chairs
4. Mid of Putin talking
5. Mid of Klaus talking
6. Wide of talks
7. Cameramen
8. Wide of Russian and Czech presidents taking seats in presser hall
9. Journalists
10. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vladimir Putin, Russian President:
"Terrorist threats have to be prevented by measures of collaboration but not of confrontation between civilised nations. We have no sensible reasons for it. At the same time these (anti-missile) systems will control Russian territory up to the Urals if, of course, we do not take action in response, and obviously we will do it in order to provide our own security. And you would do the same and any other country would do the same".
11. Wide of news conference
STORYLINE
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday emphasised Moscow's opposition to the planned US deployment of missile defence systems in central Europe and said Russia will take measures in response.
Putin repeated his rejection of US insistence that the interceptor missiles and radar systems Washington wants to deploy in Poland and the Czech Republic are aimed at neutralising potential threats from Iran and North Korea, saying no such threats exist or are likely to anytime soon.
Moscow has argued that the US is trying to target Russia's strategic missile arsenal.
Putin made the remarks after meeting with Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who said he strove to explain to Putin that from the Czech side the plan was not directed against the Russian Federation.
But Putin said "these systems will control Russian territory up to the Urals - if, of course, we do not take action in response, and we will do it in order to provide our own security."
The Ural Mountains divide European Russia from its Asian section.
Putin equated the planned missile defence system with the deployment of US missiles in Europe during the Cold War and said it would cardinally change the security system in Europe.
Russia has repeatedly and vocally criticised the US plan.
US defence Secretary Robert Gates travelled to Moscow this week in an attempt to ease Moscow's concerns, but Russian officials have continued to lash out over the issue.
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