proliferation

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Lukin: NATO Strikes To Lead to Proliferation

MOSCOW, April 9 (Interfax) -- The proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction may be one of the consequences of NATO's
strikes in Yugoslavia, said State Duma International Affairs Committee
Chairman Vladimir Lukin. Now the leader of any country is likely to think
he must possess jarfuls of germs, if not of an A-bomb, just in case of "a
guy not liked by the Americans" comes to power in his country, he told an
international conference on Russia's cooperation with the European Union.

The Balkan crisis has shown again that Europe is incapable of managing
its own problems, Lukin said. If the European member nations of NATO
acted more independently, "everybody would gain," he said. Lukin called
on European countries "to work with Russia rather than shoot with the
Americans." The role of the West European Union (incorporated in NATO)
must be enhanced and Russia must be involved in its operation to a
certain degree, he said.