Following talks with his Polish counterpart in Warsaw on 19 February 2007, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said: "We agreed that both countries will probably give a positive response to the US letter and only then will we open negotiations. I think it is in our joint interest to negotiate this initiative and to build the missile defence."
Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski added: "We'll try to convince the Russians of the obvious fact that this installation is not aimed against them."
The US claims that the missile defence system aims to counter threats from Iran. However, after it became known that the US intends to build a missile interceptor site in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic, Russia voiced its objection.
Russian Commander of strategic missile forces, General Nikolai Solovtsov said: "If the governments of Poland and the Czech Republic take a decision to this effect, the strategic missile troops will be capable of having these facilities as targets."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that Russia should have been consulted on the issue and called for "intensive dialogue".
Poland and the Czech Republic are two of the most pro-American countries within the EU, but also among the fiercest eurosceptics in discussions over the EU Constitution.
