Lithuania ready to be AMD host

19 Jul, 2008 06:55 / Updated 16 years ago

Lithuania is ready to host part of a planned U.S. missile defence shield, the country’s President Valdas Adamkus said in an interview to an Argentinean newspaper.

Nacion quoted him as saying that Lithuania is not holding talks with Washington but would be prepared to co-operate, if approached. The U.S. says the missile defence system is needed to deter possible strikes from Iran. It had hoped to deploy a radar in the Czech Republic, and ten interceptor missiles in Poland. But talks with Warsaw have stalled over the terms of the deal. Washington says it may look for another location in Europe if the two countries don't reach an agreement. Russia is against the plans which it sees as a threat to its national security.