BAKU, Azerbaijan – Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg says that his government will sign a deal with the United States next week on installing a U.S. missile defense radar.

Schwarzenberg said Friday during a visit to the ex-Soviet nation of Azerbaijan that the deal will be signed in Prague on July 8 or 9.

The United States has negotiated a deal to install a radar in the Czech Republic as part of the planned missile defense system. U.S. officials also have agreed on the framework of a deal to place 10 missile interceptors in Poland, but Polish officials say they have not made the final decision yet.

Russia has strongly opposed the plans, saying it would threaten its security.