Russia says missile deal shows real target

SOCHI, Russia, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he knows the planned U.S. missile defense system is directed toward Moscow, but will continue talks with all parties.

"The deployment of new missile defense elements in Europe has the Russian Federation as its aim," RIA Novosti reported Medvedev as saying Friday during said at a news conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Sochi.

U.S. officials said the missile shield's goal was to deter threats from the Middle East.

The United States and Poland signed a preliminary agreement Thursday to deploy 10 U.S. interceptor missiles in Poland. Earlier this year, the United States reached a preliminary agreement with the Czech Republic for a radar system.

Medvedev said Russian officials were ready "to continue discussing these issues with all the parties."

Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's NATO ambassador, told RIA Novosti, a Russian news agency, that Poland's signing the missile agreement with the United States effectively confirmed that the missile shield is aimed against Russia.

"The Poles should be thanked for helping reveal the strategic goal of the U.S. missile defense plan," Rogozin said.