Prague- The Czech opposition is against the stationing of a U.S. radar installation on Czech soil and the government thus cannot be sure that the relevant agreements will gain support in the Chamber of Deputies though they may be supported in the Senate where the ruling Civic Democrats (ODS) hold a majority.

 

The government cannot rely on the support of independent deputy Evzen Snitily, who recently left the senior opposition Social Democrat (CSSD) deputies' group.

Snitily told CTK today that his position on the radar was the same as the position of the CSSD that has rejected the radar.

Chairman of the junior governing Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) deputies group Pavel Severa told CTK he cannot yet say whether all 13 KDU-CSL deputies would vote for the radar installations. He said it would be important to study the text of the agreements.

Deputy head of the junior governing Green Party Ondrej Liska said that "the Greens' scepticism towards the missile defence system is still very strong."

He said the Greens would insist on the U.S. missile defence system in Europe to operate under NATO command.

Although the CSSD emphatically rejected the stationing of the radar base on Czech soil it had sent its representatives to a Czech parliamentary delegation that visited the Marshall Islands to inspect the U.S. radar installations that are to be moved to the Czech Republic if the Czech-U.S. agreements are approved.

The government will submit two agreements to the parliament. The main agreement on the stationing of the U.S. radar installations in the Brdy military area, some 90km southwest of Prague, will define the conditions of the building and operation of the base, access to it, the possibility of visits and other matters.

The SOFA agreement will address legal aspects. It will define the legal status of American soldiers on the territory of the Czech Republic.

Head of the Chamber of Deputies defence committee Jan Vidim (ODS) told CTK today that the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate should approve both documents in the same wording.

If the agreements are approved they should be signed by President Vaclav Klaus.

The USA intends to build a radar station in the Czech Republic and a base with ten interceptor missiles in Poland.

The USA says these elements of its missile shield are to protect a big part of Europe and the United States against missiles that dangerous states like Iran or North Korea might launch.

The Czech government started the negotiations on the stationing of the U.S. radar installations in the Brdy military area one year ago.

U.S. President George Bush said on Wednesday after talks with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (ODS) that the agreement was close though the USA had not yet signed the agreement with the Czech Republic concerning the stationing of the U.S. missile defence radar.

Topolanek said he expected the agreements to be signed in the next weeks, probably during the April NATO summit in Bucharest, either at the summit, or just before or after it.

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