Klaus discusses planned US radar with Cheney during US trip

Czech President Vaclav Klaus met US vice-president Dick Cheney on Friday in Salt Lake City to discuss the possible installation of a US military radar base on Czech soil as well as Czech involvement in military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans. According to Czech ambassador to the USA Petr Kolar, who attended the meeting, Mr Cheney welcomed the Czech Republic's willingness to host the US radar base. Mr Kolar added the meeting showed the Czech Republic was interested in cooperating with the United States and the country's presence in Europe, and that it viewed the United States as its main strategic ally. He said the Czech Republic saw both its EU membership and the maintenance of its close relations with the United States as important.