U.S. and Czechs sign missile defence deal

By Arshad Mohammed and Jan Lopatka PRAGUE (Reuters) - The United States and the Czech Republic signed a treaty on Tuesday allowing Washington to build part of a missile defence shield in the central European state despite opposition from its former Cold War master Russia. The deal to create a radar station southwest of Prague was marred by a failure seal a corresponding pact with Poland, where Washington wants to put 10 interceptor rockets that would be guided by the Czech site. Washington says the shield would defend it and its European allies against missile attacks from a foe such as Iran, and points to intelligence suggesting Tehran could develop a long-range missile capable of striking its soil by 2015. "This missile defence agreement is significant as a building block, not just for the security of the United States and... [read full story]