Plans for a Europe-widemissile defence system to protect the continent from possible threats from Iran and North Korea are winning backing from Nato headquarters - but alliance members are wary of the cost.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato secretary-general, wants member states to consider seriously a recently issued 10,000-page report that concluded that sucha system would be feasible for Europe and added that the dangers posed by Pyongyang and Tehran were increasing.