Czech, US officials sign status of forces deal (Roundup)

Sep 19, 2008, 16:17 GMT

Prague/London - Czech Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova and her US counterpart Robert Gates signed a deal on Friday on rules for stationing US troops at a planned missile defence base in the ex-Warsaw Pact country, the Czech Defence Ministry said.

The ministers inked the so-called Status of Forces Agreement on the sidelines of NATO's informal meeting in London.

The accord, whose full text will be published on Monday, complements a main diplomatic treaty signed in Prague on July 8.

Washington plans to place a tracking radar in a military zone south-west of Prague as well as 10 interceptor missiles in neighbouring Poland, despite Moscow's objections - which were reiterated on Friday.

'The Czech government has sold security of its own people for a new toy - the missile defence system,' CTK news agency cited Russia's NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin as saying.

Warsaw agreed to host the missile shield installation on August 20 in exchange for US military aid, including a battery of Patriot air defence missiles.

The missile shield treaties require parliamentary approval in both former Eastern Bloc countries, now members of NATO and the European Union.

The Czech centre-right government of Mirek Topolanek lacks clear support for the project but hopes to steer the two treaties through parliament by year end.

The Czech and US ministers also signed a declaration on strategic defence cooperation on Friday that enables tighter information exchange and collaboration in foreign missions.

The document also includes a US vow to help the Czech Republic modernize its armed forces, including 'air transport capacities'.

Prague has been interested in two used US Hercules transport planes but no deal has been made so far, spokesman for Czech Defence Ministry Jan Pejsek said.

Czech officials have insisted that they are not seeking the aircraft as a reward for the radar base.