RIGA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitishas said that a missile defense system could be erected on its soil when necessary, local media reported on Thursday.

    In an interview with the state television Channel-5, Kalvitis said that the security of the whole European continent was of vital importance, and as a member of both the EU and NATO, Latvia would not oppose the deployment of an anti-missile shield within its territory when its national safety is compromised.

    Kalvitis said that he could understand the decision of Poland and the Czech Republic to allow the deployment of part of the U.S. anti-missile shield in their countries. He believed that they made the decision out of consideration for their national security.

    In January, the United States made a formal request to build a radar base in a military area southwest of Prague and locate 10 interceptor missiles in neighboring Poland as part of a planned global missile defense shield, which Washington claims will only target possible missile threats from Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

    Russia is strongly opposed to the deployment of the missile defense shield and has threatened retaliatory measures.