Havel regrets US decision

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel on Friday expressed regret over Washington’s decision to abandon the missile defense project in central Europe. He said he had considered it a certain form of protection against Russia’s attempts to regain influence in a region it still considered as its backyard. Several politicians from central and eastern Europe, including Mr. Havel, wrote an open letter to President Obama earlier this year warning him about Russia's growing ambitions and expressing fears that the United States was abandoning the region.