U.S. missile shield may affect Asia: Russian FM

Russia's Foreign Minister has told the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that U.S. plans for a missile defence shield in Europe may have impact on Asian countries.

Foreign Ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, are meeting in Kyrgyzstan.

The organisation is focused mostly on security issues and border relations in the region.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says the U.S. could have far-reaching effects.

“The consequenses of placing the ABM systems in Eastern Europe will also be felt in the Asian region. I am convinced that the proposals which the Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted to the U.S. President George W. Bush on the need of the integrated approach to this subject would either convince the two sides in the absense of missile risks or would convince them that these risks would be neutralized,” underscored Mr Lavrov.