US/Czech Republic

Bilateral missile defence agreement signed in Prague

Article published on the 2008-07-08 Latest update 2008-07-08 15:31 TU

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg
(Credit: Reuters)

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed a bilateral missile defence pact with Czech foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg in Prague on Tuesday, allowing a US tracking radar to be placed on Czech soil. The US has already gained cooperation with Poland, where interceptor missiles are being placed, all in the name of protection against 'rogue' states, such as Iran.

"This is truly a landmark agreement... (befitting) for allies facing a common threat," Rice said at the signing ceremony.

The controversial agreement still has to be approved by Czech parliament, however. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's centre-right coalition is not certain of winning a majority for the plan to be officially approved.

Another agreement allowing US personnel to man the radar base in the Czech Republic is still being discussed.

Russia has claimed that the US anti-missile program is a threat to its own security. The US had earlier hoped to get Russia on board by allowing Russian inspectors to visit anti-missile sites for the Czech Republic and Poland as long as Warsaw agreed.

"Even those vague promises regarding measures of trust and oversight, which were made by our American partners, have been effectively nullified," Russia's Interfax agency reported the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying.