Sarkozy: Missile defense shield bad idea

NICE, France, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for a summit meeting on European security that would include Russia and the United States.

Sarkozy, now holding the presidency of the European Union, held a summit of his own Friday in Nice, France, with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The meeting ended with the two leaders leaving for the economic summit in Washington.

At a joint news conference with Medvedev, Sarkozy criticized U.S. plans to install components of a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, The Guardian reported.

"Deployment of a missile defense system would bring nothing to security in Europe," he said. "It would complicate things."

Russia has threatened to install missiles in Kaliningrad if the United States moves forward with its plans. The big unknown is whether President-elect Barack Obama would follow up on President George W. Bush's missile defense plan.