Obama Shelves Europe Missile Defence Plan

US President Barack Obama has announced a major overhaul of the US missile defence system in Europe.Controversial bases which had been planned for Poland and the Czech Republic are to be scrapped, after a review of the threat from Iran.

Mr Obama said there would be a 'proven, cost-effective' system using land and sea-based interceptors against Iran's short — and medium-range missile threat.

Russia, which saw the old shield as a threat, initially welcomed the news. However, there has been criticism in conservative circles in the US.

The US signed a deal in August 2008 with Poland to site 10 interceptors at a base near the Baltic Sea, and with the Czech Republic to build a radar station on its territory.

The US had said the missile shield would be fully operational by 2012. But President Obama this year ordered a review of the defence system, which was strongly backed by his predecessor George W. Bush.

Yesterday, President Obama said in a live TV address that the change was needed to 'deploy a defence system that best responds to the threats we face'.

He said a review had shown the need to switch strategy to defending against the short- and medium-range missiles that Iran could use to target Europe.

On the military side, this heralds a shift of emphasis in the whole US anti-missile defence strategy. It is not an end to it but it is a change.

The emphasis will now be on regional and shorter-range defence. The Israeli example might be a good one. The US is co-operating with the Israelis on the Arrow anti-missile missile and on a shorter-range missile interceptor known as David's Sling.

Such methods will now come to the fore. And the existing Aegis ship-based defence, already deployed near Japan, will also have renewed importance.

Twice Mr Obama referred to the need for a system that was 'proven and cost effective'. He said the new approach would provide 'a stronger, smarter and swifter defence' of US and allied forces in Europe.

Mr Obama said he had spoken to both the Czech Republic and Poland and stressed his commitments to their defence.

But he said again that Russia's concerns about the old system were 'entirely unfounded'.

The latest move marks a major US foreign policy shift but it has already drawn some criticism. John Bolton, who was undersecretary of state for arms control and international security under President Bush, said the move was 'unambiguously a bad decision'.

He said: 'This gives away an important defensive mechanism against threats from countries like Iran and other rogue states, not only for the US but for Europe as well.

'It is a concession to the Russians with absolutely nothing in return.' Iran says its missile development programme is solely for scientific, surveillance or defensive purposes, but there are concerns in the West and among Iran's neighbours that the rockets could be used to carry nuclear weapons.

As part of long-running efforts to tackle the issue, Iran will hold talks on its nuclear programme on 1 October with the UK, China, France, Russia and the US — the five permanent UN Security Council members — and Germany.

Russia had seen the US missile plan as a direct threat to itself, despite US assurances that it was aimed at 'rogue' states, such as Iran.

Russia's ambassador to Nato, Dmitry Rogozin, initially said the move was 'a breakthrough' for US-Russian relations, although they were waiting for official confirmation from the US.

'This means we're getting rid of one of those niggling problems which prevented us from doing the real work,' he said.

The two countries are currently in talks about reducing their nuclear weapons stockpiles, and the US move could influence Russia to be more co-operative, correspondents say.

Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the US move was 'a positive step', Associated Press reported.

— BBC