ČR will host missile-defense component

As first reported by The Prague Post in February, the Czech Republic will be the site of a key component for the United States' amended European missile-defense system.

The announcement came as the Obama administration requested $2.2 million in funding from Congress to construct the project, and was confirmed by Prime Minister Petr Nečas at a press conference July 30.

"After the U.S. administration changed their concept of a missile-defense system in Europe, there were still negotiations on how allies could participate," he said. "I want to emphasize that it didn't emerge as news, but it is rather a matter of continuous negotiations."

Indeed, those negotiations were largely completed by the previous government headed by Jan Fischer. Details on the project remain opaque, including who will finance the ongoing operation of the facility as well as the exact makeup of its staff. Officials are terming the project an "early warning system."

Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra, a staunch U.S.-ally and former ambassador to Washington, D.C., says the Czech Republic will likely cover at least part of the operational costs, which are estimated to be in the tens of millions of crowns per year. He said the project could be in place by the middle of 2011. It is likely to be built in or near Prague.  

A high-level foreign policy official with close ties to Washington, D.C. briefed The Prague Post on the plans in early 2010, which were confirmed by a Foreign Affairs Ministry official. The official said the final decision would rest with the government elected in June. Negotiations were clearly finalized by Fischer's team as the present tripartite center-right coalition of the Civic Democrats (ODS), TOP 09 and Public Affairs (VV) has yet to face a confirmation vote in Parliament, and even Nečas himself seems hazy on the details. 

The new project is receiving the backing of all the parliamentary parties except the Communists (KSČM). "This was just a formality," said Jiří Pehe, a political analyst and former aide to President Václav Havel.

Even the opposition Social Democrats (ČSSD) approve of the plan, though they opposed the Bush administration's plans for a radar base in Brdy, southwest of Prague. The Obama administration backtracked from that plan, opting for what it argues is a more streamlined and reliable system based on already-existing technology. Missiles are to be deployed in Romania and Bulgaria, according to the governments of those two southeast European countries. Other components of the plan have not been made public yet, but there is speculation that Turkey might host a radar component.

A majority of Czechs opposed the previous plan with the Czech radar base and missile interceptors based in Poland. Russia also opposed the plan despite U.S. pledges that it was designed to counter weapons fired from elsewhere, in particular Iran. 

"The ČSSD welcomed the Obama administration's decision to abandon Bush administration plans for building a global strategic missile-defense system," said ČSSD Shadow Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek. "The current project - built within NATO - is different and should be based on the agreement of all member states of the alliance."

By placing the project under the NATO umbrella and not as a bilateral agreement between the United States and the Czech Republic, the government is able to sidestep a debate and vote in Parliament, though overwhelming support among MPs would largely make such a vote a moot point.

"The Constitution requires a treaty approved by Parliament to place any foreign troops on Czech territory," Pehe said. "NATO steps do not require this."

Nečas himself was less than clear on whether this is a project driven by the United States or NATO. "Now it is a matter of two sides: the Czech Republic and the United States," he said. "While the finances are coming from the U.S. budget, it could become a part of NATO facilities in the future."

"At this moment, the decision on who should operate the facility hasn't been made, but it is very likely it will be Czechs with the proper training," Nečas added.

While endorsing the project, the ČSSD was also quick to demand more details. "We expect the government to complete its knowledge and provide the information to the relevant committees of Parliament and the public, as well," Zaorálek said.

While the ČSSD has changed course and supports the amended defense plan, other opponents of the Bush administration plan are equally opposed to the new proposal.

"We plan protests as soon as the government is officially approved, and that means next week. We don't have enough information, and the government is not giving any," said Jan Májíček of the No Bases initiative, a citizens' group. "They do not let the people of this country decide about these important issues. Ironically enough, they even plan not to go through Parliament with this."

The KSČM, which holds 11 percent of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies, is likewise opposed. "The location of the systems in our area increases security risks," said Alexander Černý, the KSČM shadow defense minister. "From an international point of view, it complicates relations between the superpowers and in our view undermines the project of nuclear disarmament, which Obama and Medvedev endorsed in Prague."

Černý refers to the treaty signed by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev April 8 in Prague, which pledged to slash stockpiles of strategic nuclear weapons and has yet to be ratified by either country.

As of press time, U.S. Senator John Kerry, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, looked poised to pull a vote on the treaty off the committee's Aug. 4 agenda. Committee approval is necessary before the treaty is sent to the full Senate. There are fears Senate Republicans will seek to block the agreement, which requires a two-thirds majority for ratification.  

- Filip Šenk contributed to this report.

Benjamin Cunningham can be reached at
bcunningham@praguepost.com