NATO Still Backs US Missile Shield in Europe

Via Reuters -

NATO reaffirmed on Monday its backing for a planned U.S. missile shield in Europe after French President Nicolas Sarkozy said it would bring no extra security on the continent.

NATO leaders including Sarkozy welcomed U.S. plans to deploy the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic as a "substantial contribution to the protection of allies" at a summit in Bucharest last April.

Washington says the shield will protect the United States and its allies from attack by "rogue" states such as Iran and North Korea and rejects Russia's argument that it is a direct threat to its territory.

But after talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday, Sarkozy said that deploying the U.S. anti-missile system would do "nothing to bring security and complicates things".

NATO spokeswoman Carmen Romero said the alliance's position had not changed.

"The decision taken at Bucharest is very clear and we are continuing to analyse different options relating to missile defence," she said, referring to options such as a proposal for NATO to complement the U.S. shield with additional components aimed at reinforcing its coverage of southeast Europe.

At an EU summit with Russia on Friday, Sarkozy said he had won Russian backing for talks on security in Europe next year and urged a freeze in missile deployments by Moscow and the United States until then.