US Presses Czechs For Signal On Willingness To Host Anti-Missile Base

MISSILE DEFENSE

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by Staff Writers
Prague (AFP) Jun 26, 2006
The United States is pressing the Czech Republic for an answer by the end of September whether or not it is willing to site an anti-missile base on its territory, the daily Dnes reported Monday. "Negotiations are quickly concluding and the Americans want an answer by the end of September -- yes or no," the paper said.

The base housing surface-to-air missiles would form part of a network designed to protect the United States and NATO countries from hostile missile attack.

Czech ambassador to NATO Stefan Fule told the paper that expert discussions on the system had already finished. "Discussions should now wind up with a decision on countries where the anti-rocket umbrella should be sited," he added.

Washington has not made an official demand for Prrague to host such a base and will only do so if it is certain the answer will be 'yes', Dnes said.

The paper said that two well-conserved former Warsaw Pact bases at Dobris, around 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Prague and Rapotice, near Brno in the south-east of the country, could be used.

The bases, which used to house Soviet S-200 Vega surface-to-air missiles, have been mothballed since the mid-1990's but are still owned by the military, avoiding any complicated buyouts, it added.

As well as the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary are also in contention as sites, the paper said.

The US demand for a signal from the Czech Republic on its willingness to site a base follows inconclusive legislative election results at the start of June with no certainty who will govern the country, Dnes said.

The issue of siting a US missile base on Czech soil sparks different responses from politicians and divides the public. The winner of the June elections, Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolanek, told Dnes he was personally in favour of a base because it would "strengthen our partnership in the NATO framework."

Topolanek was expected Monday to sign a coalition agreement with the smaller Christian Democrat and Green parties but together they will only command 100 votes in the 200-seat lower house.

Social Democrat Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, whose party is the second strongest in the lower house, told the paper a base would be "a strong intrusion on the psychology of the country, on its internal inegrity," adding that the issue could be the subject of a referendum.

Source: Agence France-Presse

MISSILE DEFENSE

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