U.S. shield could provoke Russia response - general

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The firing of a weapon from a U.S. missile defence shield to be deployed in eastern Europe could provoke the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile in return, Russia's top general said on Saturday.

Chief of Staff Yuri Baluyevsky gave the stark warning at a news conference at which he fiercely criticised Washington's plan to site the anti-missile system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

"The firing of an anti-missile rocket from Poland could be seen by Russia's automated system as the launch of a ballistic missile, which could provoke an answering strike," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Baluyevsky as telling a news conference.

Russia objects to the U.S. missile defence shield, which Washington says is designed to protect against missile attack from "rogue states" such as Iran.

Baluyevsky said that written U.S. proposals concerning the shield were inadequate. He also said that Russia and the United States were locked in a "direct stand-off".

"This ... direct stand-off, has unfortunately not been taken off the agenda by my colleagues in the Pentagon," Interfax quoted Baluyevsky telling reporters.