In order to speed up the talks, Czechs and Americans have decided to extent the negotiating teams, said Bartak who had conducted the negotiations in the Pentagon and is a member of the delegation of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. While on his visit to the USA, Topolanek said unlike the main agreement that was almost finished, the SOFA might not be ready by the April summit of NATO in Bucharest. "If there is obliging approach, we might arrive at an agreement on the SOFA within one or two months," Bartak said after his talks with U.S.
Starbucks in brief US closure ...
Controversial points omitted from U.S. visas memorandum- Czech PM ...
Another Czech senator receives threats over presidential election ...
Germany Spice Up Bland Play to Beat Austria 3-0 ...
Patria offers Czechs to supply first 30 APCs within four months ...
Czech President, PM to have New Year's lunch without wives ... experts. In theory, the summit deadline could be thus met. As far as the SOFA agreement is concerned, the dispute over construction works has been resolved, Bartak said. He named five spheres in which the two negotiating teams had not agreed. They relate to the legal questions, including the violation of law by U.S. servicemen, the transport of vehicles, the environment, the tax problem and the application of the agreement. "Lawyers are dealing with it now," Bartak said. They are discussing the issue of whether U.S. legislation should be valid in some spheres at the radar base. Another round of the talks on the agreement is scheduled for Prague next week. The main agreement on the construction of the anti-missile radar base is also finished, with only a few legal formulations concerning the environment remaining. According to the available information, the issue is being discussed due to the demands of the Greens, a junior member of the Czech government. Both agreements must be passed by the Czech parliament. Bartak said the USA might use the Czech-made L-159s within the strategic dialogue with the Americans that followed up the cooperation in the sphere of anti-missile defence. Collaboration in other spheres, such as helicopters, is being discussed, too. In Canada, Topolanek is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Senate chairman Noel Kinsella and Speaker of the House of Commons Peter Milliken. They will discuss international military units in Afghanistan. Besides the radar base in the Czech Republic, the USA also wants to build an interceptor missile base in Poland, both as parts of the U.S. missile defence shield in Central Europe to protect a big part of Europe and the United States against missiles that "rogue" states such as Iran might launch. However, the U.S. intention is opposed by much of the Czech public as well as Russia, which says the shield is aimed against it.
(Ceske Noviny)
more info >>
<< Back