| Washington is backing away from plans for an anti-missile shield in eastern Europe, the Czech Prime Minister said, in a move that may ease Russian-US ties but fuel fears in former Soviet bloc countries of resurgent Kremlin influence.
Poland said President Barack Obama would announce a final decision on the project, a major source of tension between Washington and Moscow, later today.
The missile shield, involving interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar complex in the Czech republic, was promoted by Mr Obama's predecessor George W Bush to defend against any missile launches from "rogue" states such as Iran and North Korea.
"Today, shortly after midnight, Barack Obama telephoned me to announce that his government is backing away from the intention of building a missile defence radar on Czech territory," Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer told reporters.
"The Czech Republic acknowledges the decision."
The Obama administration is seeking to "reset" battered ties with Russia so that the two former Cold War foes can cooperate on Iran, on fighting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan and on reducing their vast arsenals of nuclear weapons.
But eastern European states, especially Poland and the Baltic states, saw the missile plan as a symbol of US commitment to the defence of eastern Europe against any encroachment by former Soviet masters in Moscow.
Read the rest of the article at ABC News Online
Source: ABC News Online
| 
