Nicaragua Calls Claims About Russia Using GLONASS For Spying 'Cold War' Speculations

The claims alleging that Russia's GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) might be used in the Central American region for espionage purposes represent speculations in the spirit of Cold War, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada told Sputnik on Tuesday.

MANAGUA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th November, 2018) The claims alleging that Russia's GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) might be used in the Central American region for espionage purposes represent speculations in the spirit of Cold War, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Russia's first GLONASS station in Central America was commissioned in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua in April 2017. Since then media reports alleging that the satellite station might be used by Russia for spying on other countries have been emerging from time to time.

"When it comes to relations between Russia and the Latin American countries, you can always find someone who is eager to revive the phenomena of Cold War," the minister said commenting on the media reports claiming that the GLONASS station in the country might be Russia's spying center in the region.

The minister added that Russia and Nicaragua enjoyed friendly and fraternal cooperation, which contributed to the development of the both countries.

"[The GLONASS station] is intended not for espionage or intelligence purposes but for the use in accordance with the purposes of a satellite system � education, prevention of natural disasters and elimination of its consequences, [monitoring of] climate change," the minister said.

The GLONASS station was set up in Nicaragua within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement on space cooperation that was ratified by the Russian parliament in July 2014.