BRUSSELS, June 14 (Xinhua) -- NATO defense ministers agreed here on Thursday to assess the political and military implications of the U.S. plan to deploy a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, said NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

    The alliance aims to have conclusions on the assessment by February 2008, months before the next NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, he told reporters.

    "I am pleased that the nations have agreed ... (on) a joint way forward on this very important transatlantic issue. What NATO is going to do now is to assess the political and military implications of the United States missile system."

    This is the first time that NATO has made a decision concerning the U.S. plan, under which Washington will set up a radar base in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland.

    Previously, NATO allies had held discussions and consultations on the U.S. plan.

    "Together with missile defense ... and our work with our Russian partners ... the NATO roadmap on missile defense is now clear. It is practical and it is agreed by all," said de Hoop Scheffer.

    He explained that NATO needs to look into the political and military implications of the American system in Europe because the alliance is based on the principle of "indivisibility of security," NATO jargon meaning that all allies should have the same protection.

    The planned U.S. missile defense system can cover most of Europe, but Turkey and parts of Bulgaria, Romania and Greece will be left out of the coverage, thus harming the principle of "indivisibility of security."

    "We can never have grade A and B allies in the alliance because all allies are created equal," said de Hoop Scheffer.

    NATO Assistant Secretary General John Colston said prior to the defense ministers' meeting that the alliance has no intention of bringing the U.S. missile defense site in Europe under its umbrella.

    "It's quite possible that the United States' capability could be one complementary element of our approach to missile defense in the future. This is not bringing the U.S. system under NATO control, but it is recognizing that the United States' system would be likely to provide a very substantial degree of coverage of the European continent and therefore it does make sense for us to examine the U.S. system alongside possible potential future NATO elements."

    But he cautioned that no decision is to be taken in the near future on whether NATO will pursue its own strategic missile defense system.

    "But let me say no decision is being taken now and no decision is expected in the near future on whether or not NATO would want to proceed with its own missile defense system. That is a decision for the future."

    The NATO defense ministers will also have an opportunity to debate the U.S. plan with Russia's new Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov on Thursday.

    Russia is strongly opposed to the U.S. plan.

    Colston was reluctant to comment on Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent proposal to have a joint Russian-U.S. radar site in Azerbaijan, saying it is far too early to undertake technical evaluation of it.

    He said a radar site in Azerbaijan might be too close to the potential sources of threat.

    However, he welcomed the fact that Russia seems to be moving on "from the rhetoric of confrontation to the rhetoric of cooperation."

    Apart from missile defense, the two-day NATO defense ministers' meeting will also discuss Afghanistan and Kosovo.

    "The training of and equipping the Afghan national force will be a top priority" of the meeting, said NATO spokesman James Appathurai on Thursday.

    On Kosovo, the defense ministers are expected to emphasize the alliance's determination to maintain its strength in the Serbian province.

    "Everyone in Kosovo needs to be aware of NATO's determination to maintain security in Kosovo and that we will not tolerate threats from whatever quarter to such security."

    "We are therefore determined to maintain our mission; to maintain it effectively; and to ensure that the security of Kosovo is maintained for the benefit of all its inhabitants until such time as we hope we can transition to a new status under a new resolution in providing the international military presence in Kosovo."

    Colston said the alliance is still hopeful that the UN Security Council can reach a resolution on Kosovo's status although U.S. President George W. Bush has said he favors Kosovo independence.