British MPs question 'destabilizing' U.S. missile plan

Jiang Zemin and Vladimir Putin: Warning over defense plan

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LONDON (CNN) -- British MPs have criticized U.S. moves to develop a National Missile Defense system claiming it would be "highly destabilizing" to international security.

Washington plans to use Britain and Greenland for its NMD system, the multi-billion dollar follow-up to its Stars Wars project.

Three sites, including Fylingdales radar station and the U.S. eavesdropping station at Menwith Hill, both in Yorkshire, northern England, would have to be upgraded to facilitate NMD's early warning system.

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But a report, published Wednesday by the influential House of Commons Foreign Affairs committee, was concerned that the system breached the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and could trigger a new arms race.

The report said the U.S. did not have "unqualified co-operation" for installing part of the anti-missile system in Britain and called on the government to persuade Washington to "seek other ways of reducing the threats it perceives."

Other European countries, including Germany and France, are against NMD, which was devised as a way of responding to possible missile attacks from so-called rogue nations.

Washington has listed Libya, Iraq and North Korea as potential threats to U.S. security.

The committee told the UK Government that the implementation of NMD could encourage Russia, China, North Korea and possibly other nations such as India to develop their own anti-missile systems.

Vladimir Putin and Jiang Zemin, the Russian and Chinese presidents, warned last month that a U.S. decision to go ahead with NMD would "pose the most grave adverse consequences."

The report also questioned the effectiveness of NMD which has seen two of its three tests fail during the past year.

The system should be capable of shooting down incoming nuclear missiles giving the U.S. a fundamental advantage over other nuclear powers.

NMD would also be no safeguard against other forms of attack - - such as chemical or biological weapons smuggled into the country.

Donald Anderson, chairman of the committee, said: "We recommend that the government articulates our very strong concerns that have been expressed about NMD in the UK."

He denied the committee was calling for a halt to the program but stressed the government should continue its dialogue with America.

It recognized that the British Government had close ties with the U.S. but Anderson added that "on balance the damage to the whole network of strategic arms treaties and possible arms proliferation should lead the government to speak out."

Anderson, who leads the UK delegation to the NATO parliamentary assembly based in Brussels, said some of Britain's European allies were "more skeptical". "I know a number of European colleagues and parliamentarians who are far more ready to state their opposition," Anderson added.

Anderson added that a strengthening of the NMD policy could cause a "crisis between America and its allies."

The Foreign Office is expected to respond to the report in two months.

Publication of the report comes at a time when U.S. Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush is adopting a more aggressive stance in support of NMD.

The Republican tone was captured by U.S. Senator John McCain at the party's National Convention Tuesday.

McCain said: "He [Bush] is proud of America's stature as the world's only superpower, and he accepts the responsibilities along with the blessings that come with that hard-earned distinction.

"He knows well that there is no safe alternative to American leadership.

"And he will not squander this unique moment in history by allowing America to retreat behind empty threats, false promises, and uncertain diplomacy."

The Senator added: "He will confidently defend our interests and values wherever they are threatened."

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