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Rice: Russia Playing a 'Dangerous Game'

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U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is warning Russia that it is playing what she calls a "very dangerous game" by flaunting its military might.

Rice is in Brussels for an emergency NATO foreign ministers meeting Tuesday on the recent fighting between Georgia and Russia.

Rice said Monday NATO is determined to deny Russia its strategic objective after Russian troops invaded Georgia.

The secretary of state said she believes France will be seeking an explanation from Russian President Dmitri Medvedev on why he either will not or cannot keep his word to pull Russian forces from Georgia.

Rice also said Russia may want to reconsider flying strategic bombers near the Alaskan coast -- military patrols reminiscent of the Cold War.

Officials say Rice will also meet Tuesday with top European Union officials and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. France currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

Later this week, Rice heads to Warsaw to sign an agreement to build part of a U.S. ballistic missile defense system in Poland.

Russian General Anatoly Nogovitsyn has said Poland's agreement to host the system exposes Russia to the threat of attack. But Washington insists it is aimed at defending Europe from a possible attack from Iran and in no way threatens Russia

The Czech Republic has agreed to accept radar for the system on its territory.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.



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