Many of the United States' European allies have been skeptical of Bush's missile defense ideas since his election, fearing that such a system could start a new arms race by prompting both Russia and China to increase their nuclear arsenals. Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the 15-nation European Union, condemned the American plans. Neither Russia nor China commented immediately on Bush's Tuesday announcement, his first major defense address. Bush said that the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty with Russia, which sets strict limits on testing and deployment of antimissile systems, was a Cold War relic. Today's threats, he argued, come from hostile nations like Iraq, not from Russia.
Supporters view the ABM treaty as a cornerstone of international arms control agreements.
But a statement from Prime Minister Tony Blair's office avoided endorsing the defense plan, while praising his promise to work closely with Russia and U.S. allies. All rights reserved.