He said the draft treaty was not definitively prepared at present. However, Czech US and Poland agree shield deal ...
Czechs ready to entrust defence, foreign policy to EU-poll ...
Russia rejects U.:S radar, will bombard no one - general ...
Rice wraps up two-day visit to China ...
Unicredit cuts jobs and eyes east ... Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg indicated on the public Czech Television on Sunday that the treaty could be completed this week. Cirtek said concrete questions in all areas the draft treaty embraces had been resolved.
However, the negotiators are working on the precise wording of the Czech and English versions of the document. SOFA defines the legal status and the conditions of the stay of American soldiers on Czech territory. It concerns, for instance, taxes. So far, the views of this area have differed. However, it seems a consensus has been found. However, the Defence Ministry did not want to disclose the concrete points of the treaty because there could be changes, Cirtek said. "The treaty will be published after the signing," Cirtek said. The missile defence radar that is to be part of the U.S. anti-missile shield in Central Europe together with a base for ten interceptor missiles in Poland started to be negotiated by the current centre-right government headed by the Civic Democrats (ODS) last year. Schwarzenberg and U.S. Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice signed the main treaty on the radar base in Prague in July. Both the main treaty and the SOFA treaty are yet to be ratified by parliament where support for it is not sure. A majority of Czechs are also opposed to the radar.
(Ceske Noviny)
more info >>
<< Back