UPDATE 1-Czechs agree to open talks on U.S. missile shield

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PRAGUE, March 28 (Reuters) - The Czech government formally agreed on Wednesday to open talks with the Unites States on building part of a U.S. missile defence shield in the former communist country, Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said.

The United States has asked to build a radar station near Prague and a missile battery in Poland under its plan to expand its defence against ballistic missiles which could be fired from what it calls "rogue states" like Iran or North Korea.

"The Czech Republic confirms that it has decided to open negotiations with the United States," Topolanek told a news conference.

He said the government would hand over a diplomatic note to the Americans which says the central European country recognises the threats that the missile shield should face.

But the note makes clear the Czechs wished the system would in future become part of a multilateral arrangement, he said.

"(The Czech Republic) recognises the need of a development of a NATO missile defence system and informs the American side that it will strive to include the radar station into a future NATO missile defence architecture," he said.

The plan has drawn strong opposition from Russia, which sees the missile shield as a threat to its security and an encroachment on its former sphere of influence.

The United States wants to deploy the radar in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland by 2011-12.

The system is supposed to detect ballistic missiles fired to the Unites States or to most of Europe and shoot them down.