The Czech authorities have so far expressed the official stance, saying that the radar to be built at the Brdy military district, some 90km southwest of Prague, and a base for ten interceptor missiles in Poland are not aimed against Russia, but that these elements of the U.S.
missile defence shield are to protect the United States and Europe against missiles that states like Iran might launch."The campaign for the radar was successful though it may be rather unintended. The best campaign for the radar was the conflict in South Ossetia," said Topolanek when presenting the government's campaign to promote the upcoming EU presidency in the first half of 2009.Topolanek thereby reacted to a question how he Hungary apologises for occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968 ...
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Unicredit cuts jobs and eyes east ... would assess the success rate of the recent government campaign that was to explain the reasons for the radar project to citizens.Some two-thirds of Czechs are still opposed to the project, according to polls.Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed the main radar treaty in Prague in July. The complementary SOFA treaty that defines the legal status of U.S. soldiers on Czech territory is to be completed soon.The treaties must be ratified by parliament that should debate them this year.Russia has raised sharp objections to the U.S. missile defence shield in Central Europe and demanded that Russian experts be permanently present at the bases. Moscow has also warned that it will take tough measures to protect its own security.The Russian armed intervention in Georgia's pro-Russian separatist region of South Ossetia has even more deteriorated the cold relations between Russia and Western countries.However, the EU did not decide to impose sanctions on Russia at its extraordinary summit on Monday.
(Ceske Noviny)
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