The United States and the Czech Republic have signed a landmark agreement that will allow the construction and operation of sophisticated tracking radar on Czech soil as part of a U.S. European-based ballistic missile defense system.
“It is an agreement
for friends and allies,” said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
“who face a common threat in the twenty-first century and wish to
address it through the application of the best defensive technologies
we can bring to bear.”
The missile defense system’s radar
component is to be located south of Prague and must still be approved
by the Czech legislature, where it faces opposition from members of the
Communist party and others who are not part of the coalition
government. In addition, the U.S. hopes to deploy ten interceptor
missiles in Poland. The goal is to have the sites in operation by
2012.
Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said a
missile defense system is in his country’s interest. “The first task
of the foreign policy of any country is to ensure security of the
country. And this agreement,” said Mr. Schwarzenberg, “not only
increases the security of the Czech Republic, but also of Europe and of
the whole Euro-Atlantic area.”
Russia continues to voice strong
objections to building a ballistic missile defense system in Poland and
the Czech Republic. Secretary of State Rice sought to assuage Russian
concerns:
“Missile defenses today,” she said, “are only aimed
at those who would threaten us. ... We’ve made the point to our Russian
colleagues that we all face the threat from states like Iran that
continue to pursue missiles of ever-longer range, and we must be in a
position to respond.”
Iran’s multiple -- according to Iranian
media, nine -- ballistic missile and rocket launches on July 9, as part
of its Great Prophet military exercise, clearly underscores once again
the threat from Iran.
By offering transparency and
confidence-building measures, such as participation in the development
of a joint regional missile defense architecture for defending not only
Europe and the United States, but also Russia, the United States is
attempting to assure Russia that the U.S. missile defense system
planned for Europe is limited in capability. It is solely defensive and
not directed at Russia.
“This missile defense agreement is
significant as a building block,” said Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice, “not just for the security of the United States and of the Czech
Republic, but for the security of NATO and ultimately, for the security
of the international community as a whole because we do face important
threats.”
