Powell dismisses Putin missile upgrade warning

The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has played down warnings by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, that he would upgrade Moscow's strategic nuclear arsenal if the US went ahead with its planned anti-missile shield.

Speaking in an interview with the American news agency, Associated Press, Mr Powell said he was confident Russia would not follow this course once it took into account the cost.

He said Mr Putin would also come to realise that a US missile defence shield was not a threat to Russia.

Mr Putin has repeated his warning several times since his summit in Slovenia with US President George W Bush.

The latest re-statement came today, at a news conference with the visiting Austrian President Thomas Klestil.

Mr Putin added, however, that upgrading was only one of several possible Russian responses and his remarks should not be taken as a threat.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service