British MPs warn against dividing Europe over U.S. missile shield

A British parliamentary committee conceded that Russia's opposition to U.S. missile shield plans in Europe will be difficult to overcome, and called for greater international cooperation on the issue.

U.S. plans to deploy missile defense elements in Poland and the Czech Republic have become the most controversial issue in relations between Russia and the United States, bringing them to their lowest point since the Cold War.

In a report released on the weekend, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee said: "We conclude that Russian opposition to U.S. ballistic missile defence (BMD) plans in Central Europe largely reflects Moscow's sensitivity about the presence of NATO infrastructure in its former satellite states. As such, Russian opposition will be hard to overcome."

The United States is planning to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic as part of its European missile shield, to avert possible strikes from "rogue states," such as Iran and North Korea. Russia has objected, citing concerns over its national security. RIA Novosti