Polish Prime Minister Jaroslav Kaczynski said Friday that a U.S. missile defense plan in Poland and the Czech Republic would benefit Europe, according to press reports reaching Prague.

Kaczynski told reporters after holding talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Slovakian capital Bratislava that he is convinced the missile defense shield "will have great use for the whole of Europe."

The missile system, including a radar base in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland, "would be no threat to our eastern neighbors, particularly Russia," he added.

Fico, who was against the U.S. missile plan, said he shared Russia's doubts over the system and it was Washington's mistake that it had not held negotiations with Moscow over the issue.

Poland and the United States would officially start talks next week on the setting up of a U.S. missile defense system in Poland, U.S. and Polish officials said.

The United States claims the system is aimed at resisting threat from nations such as Iran, and Russia is not a target of the system, but Russia says it is a threat to its security.

Source: Xinhua