Inspection visits to the radar are a different thing.
They are admissible on certain conditions, Bartak said. "The inspections are naturally handled by the main treaty [on the radar, the negotiations on Czech-U.S. talks on air force not tied with radar-deputy minister ...
Czech Defence Ministry, Steyr sign memorandum on understanding ... which were completed recently by the two countries' diplomats]," Bartak said. If Russia showed interest and if the Czech Republic gave consent to it, a Russian inspector could be permitted to enter the base, Bartak continued. "However, [the negotiators] really do not reckon with anyone else but Americans and Czechs being permanently present at the base," he said. Bartak did not dismiss the information in Tuesday's issue of the daily Pravo that the base could be guarded by a private security agency. "One of the draft scenarios does not rule out the presence of a private security agency," Bartak said. He said the main access to the base should be guarded by the Czech military, a condition the Czech negotiators have set. Details would be tuned up after negotiations on both relevant treaties were completed and the treaties signed, Bartak said. Apart from the main treaty, there is the complementary treaty, SOFA, which deals with the U.S. soldiers' status on Czech territory, and which continues to be negotiated. Czech Deputy PM Alexandr Vondra (Civic Democrats, ODS) said earlier this week that both treaties might be signed in June or mid-July at the latest. Vondra said negotiations on the SOFA treaty are close to completion, with certain tax-related issues yet to be settled. Bartak said today that these are minor issues which, however, require much attention. He said he would like the persisting points of controversy to be settled by the end of May. In another discussion, broadcast by TV Prima today, Czech minister and Government Legislative Council head Cyril Svoboda (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said the main treaty guarantees an exclusive protection of the Czech Republic. "The treaty says that if several [hostile] missiles were launched against Europe, the first to be hit and destroyed [by the U.S. system in Europe] will be the one 'destined for' Czech territory," Svoboda said. The USA wants to install the radar southwest of Prague and a base with interceptor missiles in Poland as part of its missile defence system. The Czech centre-right government has been negotiating with the USA about the radar plan for more than one year, though a major part of the public, the opposition and even a few deputies for the governing coalition are against it.
(Ceske Noviny)
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