U.S. and Czechs sign missile defense deal

PRAGUE (Reuters) - The United States and the Czech Republic signed a treaty on Tuesday allowing Washington to build part of a missile defense shield in the central European NATO state, despite tough opposition from Russia.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg signed the deal to build a radar station southwest of Prague, part of a system which Washington says is aimed at shooting down missiles that may be fired from countries such as Iran.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka)