Stoltenberg: NATO looking into Iranian missile test

BRUSSELS, Jan 31 (KUNA) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said here Tuesday that the Alliance was looking into the nature of what happened in detail surrounding last Sunday's Iranian ballistic missile launch.
"So I cannot comment on details of that incident," he told a joint news conference with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
He, however, added that "NATO continues to develop its ballistic missile defence system because we see that several nations including Iran are developing different kinds of ballistic missiles and are strengthening and strengthening their systems." According to media reports, the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting in New York Tuesday, at the request of the United States, to discuss Iran's latest ballistic missile test.
On ties with Russia, Stoltenberg said "NATO does not want confrontation with Russia. We don't seek confrontation with Russia. We don't want a new Cold War so our response is measured." He praised Bulgaria's commitment to NATO's presence in Afghanistan, helping to fight terrorism and to prevent that Afghanistan once again becomes a safe haven for international terrorism.
On his part, Radev called for deepening of dialogue with Russia in order to avoid confrontation.
He stressed that the main challenges and threats come from international terrorism and from the so-called Islamic State. (end) nk.gta