The treaty will be subject of approval by Czech parliament where the coalition government of Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS), however, is not sure of support. The United States wants to build the radar base at the Brdy military district, some 90km southwest of Prague, and a base for ten interceptor missiles in Poland within its missile shield. The Central European elements are to protect the United States US and Poland reach tentative deal on missile defence system ...
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Projects ... and a large part of the European continent against missiles that states like Iran might launch. Rice will meet Topolanek still before the treaty signature and they will also meet at a gala dinner hosted by the Government Office. According to available information, Rice will have no official meeting with any other Czech constitutional official. The chairmen of the two houses of parliament, Premysl Sobotka (ODS, Senate) and Miloslav Vlcek (opposition Social Democrats, CSSD, Chamber of Deputies), have been invited to a reception at the U.S.
ambassador residence in Prague on Tuesday afternoon. Vlcek will, however, take part neither in the treaty signature nor in the reception. According to CTK information, he will thus express his opposition to the radar. Vlcek is allegedly interested in a separate meeting with Rice, but it will depend on the U.S. side whether the meeting will take place. Rice will not meet President Vaclav Klaus who is recovering from a recent hip joint operation, and CSSD chairman Jiri Paroubek who will be on a foreign trip. The Czech police will cooperate with the Americans in security measures during Rice's visit. Rice will only sign the first of several documents connected with the possible building of the radar base. Neither an agreement on the stay of the U.S. personnel at the base nor a supplementary agreement on scientific and technological cooperation have been completed. Russia has long been opposed to the U.S. plans in central Europe that it considers a threat to its own security and the overall strategic balance in Europe. Moscow demands clear security guarantees in case the United States goes ahead with its plans, including the permanent presence of its observers at the bases in Poland and the Czech Republic. According to sociological research, about 70 percent of Czechs are opposed to the base. In the Chamber of Deputies the base will be voted against by Communists (KSCM). The CSSD deputies will also vote against the base even though Washington-Prague consultations on the missile shield started at a time when the CSSD was the strongest government party. Some of the junior government Green Party's say the decision on the base should only be made when a new U.S. Administration is formed after the autumn elections. The Greens also want the system to become part of NATO structures. Some government coalition deputies also hesitate.
(Ceske Noviny)
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