"If the ABM treaty is breached, then all the START negotiation becomes senseless," Ivanov told the Nezavisimaya daily, warning the US could trigger a new arms race should it abandon the agreement.

"Is that what we are after?" Ivanov demanded. "That is not what Russia wants. But the party that does this will take on the responsibility for the consequences."

The ABM treaty is a cornerstone of the Cold War nuclear deterrence policy. It bars the United States and Russia from building or deploying nationwide defense systems that could shoot down incoming ballistic missiles.

Russia opposes any modification to the treaty. US officials argue that dangers posed by so-called rogue states like North Korea, Iran and Iraq make changes to the treaty imperative.

Moscow insists it will be forced to abandon efforts to push the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) II through parliament should the United States ditch the ABM.

Russia sorely lacks the funds to build its own nation-wide nuclear shield.

The United States on October 2 succeeded in intercepting an unarmed strategic missile over the Pacific Ocean while conducting research on a future anti-missile defense system.

US-Russian negotiations held last September in Moscow on Washington's suggested revisions to the treaty, signed in 1972, got nowhere.

Separately China said Tuesday it still had deep concerns over security cooperation between Japan and the United States following the resumption of its defence dialogue with Japanese officials.

"Some consensus has been reached but differences still remain especially on the issues of Japan-US security cooperation and the military tendency in Japan, which the Chinese side is deeply concerned over," foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told a news conference.

"We think that the explanation made by the Japanese side is hardly convincing."

But she said the dialogue, which was only resumed last week, would continue "in various forms."

The Japan-China defence dialogue was suspended in December 1997, when China expressed strong concern over Japan's plans to bolster defence links to the US.

Legislation finally adopted by Japan's parliament in May provides for Japanese forces to give stronger logistical support to US forces in regional crises that directly threaten Japan's security.

China, which fears that Japan and the United States might intervene in any crisis over Taiwan, has been irked by the law, saying the move would spark unease in neighbouring countries.

Beijing also opposed an anti-missile defence scheme which Tokyo and Washington are jointly planning. The move stemmed from concern about Japan's defence system after North Korea fired what it called a satellite last August. Japan believes it was a ballistic missile test.

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VIA WASHINGTON
US Shoots Down ABM Treaty?
Los Angeles (AFP) October 3, 1999 - A new US missile defense system successfully destroyed an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile Saturday in the first major test of a program that threatens to rankle relations with Russia and China. The test over the Pacific Ocean marked the first time that scientists had successfully collided one missile into another while both were travelling through space at high speed.