Czech-US radar agreement to be signed next week

The US State Department has confirmed that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Prague next week to sign an agreement with Czech representatives on the stationing of a US radar base on Czech territory. The base is meant to operate within a broader US defense shield in Europe. The State Department has confirmed that Mrs Rice will arrive on Tuesday morning. Following her arrival she will meet with Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and the signing ceremony itself has been slated for Tuesday afternoon. Once confirmed, the treaty will still have to be approved by Parliament and signed by the president. The United States wants to install its tracking radar in the Czech Republic in tandem with interceptor rockets in Poland to prevent potential attacks from so-called “rogue” states