Czech leaders: Azeri radar 'cannot replace' unit in Central Europe

Jun 8, 2007, 10:55 GMT

Prague - Czech leaders Friday expressed further reservations about Russia's offer to the US to use Azerbaijan radar in a missile defence system instead of the facilities planned for the Czech Republic and Poland.

Prague officials also said that the offer made by Russian President Vladimir Putin to US President George W Bush on Thursday had not halted bilateral talks between the US and the Czech Republic.

Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra, a supporter of placing a radar base for the US missile shield in the Czech Republic, a possible Azeri radar could not make up for the facility planned for the Czech Republic.

'Azerbaijan cannot replace the Central European component for protecting Europe, but it can, if agreed, complement it,' Vondra told Mlada fronta Dnes daily.

Czech officials mostly welcomed that Russia has departed from its dismissive rhethoric, but were cautious about the offer itself.

'We are very glad that President Bush succeeded in persuading President Putin about the need of his system,' governmental spokesman for the US radar base Tomas Klvana told Czech Television.

'After a long period of 'nyet, nyet, neyt' there is finally a 'da' from the Russian side,' Klvana said.

Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg told Mlada Fronta Dnes that the possibility of positioning a radar in Azerbaijan had been discussed for a long time.

'I am not a military expert, but it is important that both sides have started communicating,' Schwarzenberg said.

According to Klvana and Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova, the talks between the US and the Czech Republic are to proceed despite Putin's Thursday offer.