AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,
Prague: US experts will next week tour possible Czech sites for an anti-missile base, the Czech ministry of defence announced on Wednesday.
The United States is in the final stages of selecting a Central European surface-to-air missile base which would form part of a network designed to protect it and other NATO countries from hostile missile attack.
Experts from the US Missile Defence Agency will visit existing military sites on July 18 to help with the selection, the ministry said, adding that it had not committed to hosting a base.
“If a US proposal favours any of the selected Czech locations, it will be necessary for a political decision to be taken, which would accept or refuse the proposal,” it added.
The prospect of hosting a US base has split Czech politicians with the winner of June elections, conservative Civic Democratic Party leader Mirek Topolanek, declaring himself in favour, Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek suggesting a referendum, and the Communists opposed.
The Czech daily, Dnes, reported at the end of June that the US was pressing the Czech Republic for a decision by the end of September.
The country currently has a lame duck government headed by Social Democrat Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek following a five-week long political stalemate after elections on June 2 and 3 resulted in centre-right and left-wing blocs each commanding 100 votes in the 200-seat lower house.
