U.S., Czechs clinch deal on missile shield site

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - The United States and the Czech Republic clinched agreement on Thursday on the deployment of components of a U.S. missile defense shield in the central European country, a joint statement said.

"The United States and the Czech Republic are pleased to announce the completion of negotiations on a missile defense agreement. We plan to sign the agreement in the near future," the statement said.

The system's radar will be deployed in the Czech Republic. Talks are still continuing between Washington and Poland on siting interceptor missiles in the former Soviet bloc state, but Warsaw is holding out for greater aid in modernizing its armed forces.

(reporting by Susan Cornwell, writing by Paul Taylor)