"Even if an agreement with Russia is found, the system will lead to an increased arms race with other nations like China," Markus Meckel, a member of the German Bundestag and of Berlin's ruling Social Democratic party, told journalists during his visit here.

He also warned that the plan endangered cohesion within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, especially since the European allies so far had not been consulted on the project.

Meckel said it was irrational to believe that "flying missiles" could protect a country like the United States from biological or chemical weapons wielded by "rogue states" like North Korea or by international terrorists.

"How are you going to keep someone from simply coming into your country with a suitcase full of stuff that can be used for a biological attack?" the former East German Secretary of State asked.

The NMD system is designed as a shield against a limited attack involving relatively unsophisticated ballistic missiles.

US President Bill Clinton has vowed to decide on its deployment later this year, following a third interception test in late June and ahead of US elections in November. Of two tests attempted so far, only one has succeeded.

Washington hopes to persuade Moscow to make changes to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty that would allow deployment of at least an initial phase of the system. But so far, Moscow has refused.

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MILSPACE
Clinton Should Make ABM Decision
Washington (AFP) March 22, 2000 - President Bill Clinton should make the decision this year on whether to deploy a National Missile Defense system and not leave it to his successor, a senior adviser to Vice President Al Gore said Wednesday.