Vondra (Civic Democrats, ODS) said the exact date of the signature is not yet known and that June or July are being considered. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (ODS) said in an interview with Radio Impuls that he would like both treaties related to the radar to be signed before the summer holiday. Topolanek said, nevertheless, that he would not hurry to have the treaties discussed by the two houses of Czech parliament.
He wants to ask the opposition for support, he said, adding that he would not like the debate on the theme to be "transferred" to next year. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was originally Against the grain ...
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Czech-U.S. radar treaty to include chapter on link with NATO ... expected to sign the main treaty on the installation of the radar base in the Brdy military district, southwest of Prague, today. However, her visit had to be postponed due to Rice's busy schedule. "We don't have the date [of signature] for the time being. I think it could be achieved in June, or in the first half of July at the latest," Vondra said. He said he does not at all consider the idea of the treaty being signed by someone else than Rice on the USA's behalf, as this is an important step. Vondra said that in summer Rice could sign both the main treaty on the radar, the negotiations on which are already completed, and the complementary SOFA agreement dealing with U.S. soldiers' status on Czech territory, which could be completed by then. "As far as SOFA is concerned, it is still necessary to reach consensus on certain tax issues. We need some more time in this case, but I think the negotiations could be completed by then [summer]. The SOFA talks have been completed at 95 percent. There are some 5 percent left for negotiations," Vondra said. He said the SOFA reckons with U.S. soldiers being under U.S. jurisdiction while at the base, and under Czech jurisdiction while staying outside. The Czech Republic has been negotiating with the USA about the radar project for more than a year, though the left-wing opposition and a majority of the public are against the plan. The centre-right government asserts that a real threat of a missile attack on the NATO allies does exist and must be parried by the planned radar, along with a base with interceptor missiles in Poland.
(Ceske Noviny)
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