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(Reuters) - The Czech Republic will not host shared computers giving early warning of hostile missiles that is part of U.S. missile defense plans, Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra said Wednesday.

The Czechs had been asked to host a missile defense radar system under former President George W. Bush's plans, but the idea was shelved by President Barack Obama's administration in 2009.

The change of plans angered the Czech government which had invested considerable political capital in a project unpopular with the vast majority of the Czech population and in Russia, which saw it as a threat to its nuclear arsenal.

Discussions have taken part since then about a smaller role for the Czech Republic in a revamped U.S. missile defense plan, focused mainly on an early warning data center which would provide near real-time access to information on hostile missiles.

The Defense Ministry said the Czech role in the plan, consisting of two computers installed in Czech army premises, had become unnecessary after NATO decided in 2010 to have an information sharing system for all alliance members.

"In this context we thanked (them) for the previous ... offer and... >>>