French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said on Tuesday that Paris was not interested in and would not directly participate in the U.S. missile defence system.

Mattei made the remarks at a press conference when responding to a question on Russia's concern at talks between the U.S. and NATO members Poland and the Czech Republic over plans to build missile defense sites in eastern Europe.

Mattei said the U.S. has been negotiating with some countries over its missile defence plan in recent years to expand cooperation, noting "it is their choice."

It is important that the relevant countries should take the possible concerns the plan causes into consideration, he said.

He added that "all countries concerned," such as Russia and other countries of strategic partnership related to such kind of plans, should conduct dialogue on the issue to eliminate "the concerns this kind of plans probably cause."

Russia has cast doubt over the U.S. plan, saying Moscow did not believe that U.S. missile defense system was needed in Europe.

On Monday, a top Russian military commander said the planned U.S. missile defense sites in eastern Europe is "an obvious threat" to Russia's security.

The system, which Washington hopes to install by 2011, will see a missile defense radar deployed in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland.

Source: Xinhua