21.   Bush offered a pitch in favor of a missile shield, telling Qian that it ought to reduce tensions.

22.   But his appeal for a missile shield and his unwavering rejection of the Kyoto accord put the spotlight on two areas of serious contention between him and European leaders.

23.   But the entire equation of independent, mutually beneficial reductions could easily be undone at the outset by an American drive to build a missile shield.

24.   China strongly opposes US missile defense plans, believing, as Russia does, that a missile shield could destabilize the strategic balance.

25.   Chirac said he feared creation of a missile shield could start another arms race.

26.   Chinese officials will tell you privately, and urgently, that U.S. plans for a missile shield pose a huge strategic problem for Beijing.

27.   Clinton contends the missile shield is intended only to protect the United States from undependable nations, such as North Korea, or their terrorist friends.

28.   Cohen, who supports building a limited missile shield, said Clinton had been deliberate about building support for a system among U.S. allies.

29.   Conservatives who supported a missile shield hailed the findings as refreshingly candid and worrisome.

30.   Democrats are wary of building a missile shield if it undermines the agreements to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, a position supported by many European allies.