Czech firms can help Americans with the construction, mechanics and telecommunication and energy installations, Obering said. According to the current plan, the USA would spend some 100 million dollars on the radar base in the initial stage, he added. The condition for the construction of the radar base is that the Czech parliament should approve its stationing in the Czech Republic. Czech diplomacy has started talks on an exclusive agreement under which Czech companies and researchers would be able to join the anti-missile Number of asylum applicants in Czech Republic drops in 2007 ...
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Minister to help EU doctors work in Czech facilities ... defence project. Czech companies do have a chance, Obering said. There are opportunities for the Czech industry, said Obering who is attending a two-day seminar on trade cooperation between the Czech Republic and the USA in Prague. Czech Defence Industry Association president Jiri Hynek said he agreed with Czechs contributing to the creation of infrastructure and telecommunications for the radar base. However, main opportunities may arise in the project that are not directly related with the radar, Hynek said. "The radar that will stand here is finished.
It will only be transferred to the Czech Republic," Hynek said. The seminar is attended by over 40 Czech and 10 U.S. firms. The first results and contracts are likely to emerge within months. Czech Academy of Sciences president Vaclav Paces said he had not yet any idea on how Czech researchers could join the anti-radar project. "We are here to show what we do. It is up to the Americans to say whether there is something in which collaboration may be established," Paces. On Friday, U.S. experts will see the institute of physics in Prague-Kobylisy with a specialised laser, Paces said. Czech Deputy Defence Minister Martin Bartak said the Czech Republic could offer its experiences in nanotechnology, chemistry, biotechnology, explosives, computers and army repair works. The planned exclusive agreement with the USA that is to follow up the talks on the radar is to minimise the legal, commercial and political barriers to the trade with the USA. The USA has similar arrangements with Japan, Italy, Australia, Britain and Denmark. Talks are underway with another seven countries. The United States wants to build an anti-missile radar base in the Czech Republic that is to be linked with a silo with ten defence missiles in Poland. The project is to protect the United States and a big part of Europe against missiles that "rogue" states like Iran might launch. The government of Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS), with the exception of the Green Party, supports the radar base project while the opposition is against it. Polls have shown that most Czechs are opposed to the idea.
(Ceske Noviny)
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