The Czech Republic and Poland hope that the project of the US anti-missile
defense in Central Europe will continue after President George W. Bush ends his
term, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told reporters in Prague
yesterday.
After meeting his Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg in Prague on Friday,
Sikorski said he expects the new U.S. administration to respect its
predecessor's decision.
The US wants to install a radar base on Czech soil and a base with
interceptor missiles in Poland as elements of its missile defense shield in
Europe, aiming to protect the U.S. and a large part of Europe from hostile
missiles.
The Czech and US government representatives signed the relevant radar
treaties earlier this year. The treaties are yet to be discussed by the Czech
parliament where they are not sure of the necessary majority of votes.
The left-wing opposition is against the radar plan, as are some two-thirds of
Czechs, according to public opinion polls.
