US considering other locations for missile defence radar

The American State Department has said that the U.S. is considering alternative locations outside the Czech Republic and Poland for the potential construction of part of its missile defence system. At a hearing on US-Russian relations, Assistant Secretary of State Alexander Vershbow told the House of Representatives that the Czech Republic and Poland are not the only places where the mission could be performed. The construction of an American radar base in Bohemia has been one of the hottest issues in the Czech Republic in recent years, with polls suggesting most Czechs are opposed. Russia has also expressed intense opposition to the plan. The Obama White House has put the plan on hold while it is reassessed by his administration.