Czech PM Says US Missile Base Is Question Of National Courage

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek

by Staff Writers
Prague (AFP) May 31, 2007
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek Thursday described his country's participation in a US anti-missile shield as "a question of national courage". "It is a question of national courage and of responsability towards our allies' defence," he said during a conference organised by the Czech foreign ministry.

Regarding Moscow's repeated warnings over the deployment of a tracking radar in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland, Topolanek said: "These facilites are not a threat for Russia at all, it is the opposite."

Washington has repeatedly sought to calm Russian fears with the message that the deployment of radar and missiles in the two former Soviet satellites is a defensive move aimed at protecting against a missile attack from the Middle East.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains the US move could relaunch an "arms race" between the former Cold War adversaries.

"We estimate it is dangerous and harmful to transform Europe into a powder keg by filling it with new types of weapons," he said this week.

The roll out of the anti-missile shield in Central Europe will figure high on the agenda of US President George Bush during his upcoming visit to Prague on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the G8 summit in Germany.

Bilateral negotiations between Washington and Prague and Warsaw were launched in May concerning the framework for the two countries to host the US bases and staff.

Prague wants the shield to be integrated in NATO defensive system, a request which has created rifts between its Atlantic alliance allies.

The Czech government is also trying to convince domestic opinion about the US radar with opinion polls showing around two-thirds of Czechs opposed to hosting a foreign base.

Source: Agence France-Presse

Email This Article

MISSILE DEFENSE

Russia Missile Tests Aimed At US ABM Plans In Europe

Berlin (UPI) May 30, 2007
Russian President Vladimir Putin has again lashed out at the West for provoking a new arms race on the day his country tested a massive new rocket that he said can overcome any missile defense system the United States may place in Eastern Europe. Putin has long bashed Washington for its plans to place 10 bunker-protected rockets in Eastern Europe, arguing it was a threat against Russian territory and provokes a new arms race.

ENERGY TECH Peabody And Rentech Partner Up For First Commercial US Coal-to-Liquids Facility Consumers Willing To Pay More For Environmentally Responsible Fuels, Including Clean Coal Southern California Edison Assesses Advanced Coal Technologies Hydrogen-Powered Ice Resurfacer Promoted	CIVIL NUCLEAR US Positive On Clinching India Nuclear Accord Britain To Sell Part Of British Energy Greenpeace Protest At Finnish Nuclear Plant Australian Aborigines Agree To Nuclear Waste Dump
BLUE SKY AIRS Global Map Of Carbon Dioxide From Space Widespread Twilight Zone Detected Around Clouds Rand Says Further Study Warranted On Save The World Air Technology Noxious Lightning	WOOD PILE Uganda Shelves Plan To Convert Rainforest Indonesia's Crackdown On Illegal Logging Under Fire Brazil Demonstrating That Reducing Tropical Deforestation Is Key WinWin Global Warming Solution Global Scientists Urge Canada To Save Boreal Forest
FARM NEWS Top Chef Warns Of Environmental Impact Of Fine Dining Climate Change Threatens Wild Relatives Of Key Crops Journal Details How Global Warming Will Affect The World's Fisheries Spud Origin Controversy Solved	CAR TECH Power Auto Group Debuts Fuel Efficient E-Vehicle Program Hydrogen Breakthrough Could Open The Road To Carbon-Free Cars New Research Advances Energy Efficiency, Safety And Performance Of Public Transit Toyota To Launch 100-Percent Ethanol-Powered Cars In Brazil
AEROSPACE Australia Fears Jet Flight Guilt Could Hit Tourism Nondestructive Testing Keeps Bagram Aircraft Flying New FAA Oceanic Air Traffic System Designed By Lockheed Martin Fully Operational NASA Seeks New Research Proposals	NUCLEAR SPACE Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement