Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov criticized a U.S. plan to deploy anti-missile defense system in central Europe after talks with his U.S. counterpart Robert Gates on Monday, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

"We consider that the U.S. strategic missile defense system is a destabilizing factor that may considerably affect regional and global security," Itar-Tass quoted Serdyukov as saying.

The United States plans to deploy a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland. The 3.5-billion-U.S. dollar project is set to operate in 2011.

Russia has rejected the plan, alleging its real target will not be Iran as Washington has claimed, but Moscow.

"Special attention should be paid to discussions on the deployment of the U.S. missile defense facilities in Europe," Serdyukov said.

Gates arrived here earlier on Monday. He will also meet President Vladimir Putin, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov and Chief of the General Staff Yuri Baluyevsky before his visits to Poland and Germany.

Source: Xinhua