China and allies back Russia against U.S. missile shield

[The Northerner]

(Reuters) - Russia won the backing of China and other members of a regional security body in criticizing U.S. plans for a missile shield, saying on Wednesday it could undermine global security.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a security bloc grouping Russia, China and four ex-Soviet Central Asian states, signed a declaration condemning any unilateral build-up of missile defenses after their leaders met in the Kazakh capital.

"The unilateral and unlimited build-up of missile defense by a single state or by a narrow group of states could damage strategic stability and international security," the six members of the SCO said in the declaration.

Apart from regional heavyweights China and Russia, the SCO also includes the mostly Muslim ex-Soviet Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran, Pakistan, India and Mongolia have observer status in the body, set up 10 years ago to promote regional cooperation.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/15/us-security-usa-missiles-idUSTRE75E2JZ20110615

[dipsydoodle]

1. Czech Republic pulls out of US missile shield plan

PRAGUE – The Czech Republic is withdrawing from U.S. missile defense plans out of frustration at its diminished role, the Czech defense minister told The Associated Press Wednesday.

The Bush administration first proposed stationing 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an advanced radar in the Czech Republic, saying the system was aimed at blunting future missile threats from Iran. But Russia angrily objected and warned that it would station its own missiles close to Poland if the plan went through.

In September 2009, the Obama administration shelved that plan and offered a new, reconfigured phased program with a smaller role for the Czechs, who were offered an early warning center that would gather and analyze information from satellites to detect missiles aimed at NATO territory.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110615/ap_on_re_eu/eu_czech_missile_defense

Apparently the type of missiles the shield is designed to protect against, over here , are currently only owned by Russia anyway.