News
US and Russian presidents sign historic arms deal in Prague
US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a new nuclear arms reduction treaty in Prague Castle shortly after noon on Thursday. The treaty should replace the 1991 START treaty which expired in December. It commits both sides to cutting by around 30 percent the number of their nuclear warheads compared with a total agreed in 2002.
President Obama described the agreement as ‘historic,’ adding that it had stopped the drift in US-Russian relations. He said it would help to make the world safe and secure. President Medvedev said the deal marked a ‘new page’ in bilateral ties. The agreement has to be ratified by the US Senate and the Russian Parliament. President Obama said he would press for ratification this year.
Thursday’s signing comes almost exactly a year after President Obama outlined his policies on nuclear weapons in a speech in front of thousands of people at Prague Castle.
Bilateral talks take in Iran, Kyrgyzstan and missile defence
Bilateral talks between the US and Russian president ahead of the signing were expected to cover possible sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, unrest in the Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan and US anti-missile defence, according to White House sources.
The US is seeking an agreement for sanctions against Iran, saying that its nuclear programme is aimed at developing weapons. Iran says it is purely to produce electricity. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Iran had not reacted seriously to proposals to deal with the problem of its nuclear programme and suggested the United Nations could discuss steps to take and new sanctions could not be ruled out.
Kyrgyzstan is the centre of turmoil following moves by the opposition to seize power on Wednesday. The country provides the US with a strategic base for operations in Afghanistan.
US plans for missile defence are still a sensitive issue with Moscow even after President Obama’s decision last year not to proceed with plans for an anti-missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland. President Obama said missile defence should not affect the strategic balance between the US and Russia. Moscow has said it should be allowed to opt out of the new nuclear arms reduction agreement if the US significantly expands its missile defence network.
President Obama seeks to reassure regional leaders
The Russian President left Prague on Thursday afternoon. But President Obama remained in the Czech capital to host a dinner for 11 leaders from central and eastern Europe in the evening. The informal event is being seen as an opportunity for President Obama to reassure regional leaders that Washington is not deserting its allies because of the decision to reset relations with Moscow. That fear has been expressed frequently following the decision by the US at the end of 2009 to ditch plans for an anti-missile defence system in the Czech Republic and Poland following Russian protests.
The US president is set to meet with Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer and President Klaus before he flies back to Washington on Friday.
Czech and US foreign ministers discuss missile defence, Afghanistan
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout said he expected a new anti-missile defence shield in Europe to be a NATO project with Russia invited to take part. His comments came following a longer than expected meeting on Thursday with his US counterpart Hilary Clinton. Mr. Kohout said the Czech Republic was interested in taking part in an anti-missile shield but would have to wait for a new government following elections at the end for a clear stance on how this could happen. He added that it was important for Prague that NATO gave priority to the project. The two foreign ministers also discussed Czech involvement in Afghanistan and the chances of increasing the existing Czech contingent by another 55 from the current 535. That increase has not so far been cleared by parliament.
Protesters claim new agreement on nuclear warheads has no teeth
A few dozen activists from the Czech ‘No Bases’ organisation staged a protest in the centre of Prague on Thursday morning ahead of the signing of the new nuclear arms limitation deal. Carrying signs in Russian and English, they protested that the scrapping of old and unwanted weapons was not a real move towards disarmament. That required a public process and clear timetable, they said. The ‘No Bases’ movement was in the forefront of opposition to US plans to site an anti-missile defence system in the Czech Republic and Poland. The plans were dropped last year by President Obama. The Czech branch of the World Without War organisation said the new deal still meant around 20,000 nuclear warheads would be held worldwide with spending on armaments growing steadily.
Tight security measures enforced in Czech capital ahead of US-Russian summit
In Prague and other locations in the Czech Republic, police enforced strict security measures but reported no problems. The Hilton and Four Seasons hotels, where Barrack Obama is staying and where Dmitry Medvedev stayed, were the most closely guarded locations in the capital. Police and security experts have also been inspecting relatively busy parts of the city, along with potential high risk spots such as bridges and tunnels. Outside Prague, the police are also intensively patrolling motorways that lead to the capital for suspicious vehicles.
Škoda Auto workers accept company pay offer: union
Workers at the Czech Republic’s biggest car maker, Škoda Auto, have accepted the latest pay offer from the company according to a union website. The company’s offer was for a 2.7 percent pay rise to take effect immediately from April. It would include a one off payment of 10,000 crowns. A previous offer was for a 2.5 percent rise was turned down, according to a union newspaper. The current agreement expires on April 12. Unions had warned that were prepared to take action if no deal was found. The car maker’s profit fell by two-thirds last year in spite of record sales. It is one of the biggest employers in the country with around 25,000 workers.
Brewers’ association says Czech beer production down by almost 6.0
The Czech Beer and Malt Association said beer production by affiliated breweries fell by 5.9 percent last year compared with 2008. It added that most of the decrease stemmed from the fall in local demand but exports also dropped by more than 10 percent. It is the first time since the creation of the Czech Republic. Non-alcoholic beer production, which has sharply increased over recent years, also fell back by 1.0 percent. Final figures for total Czech beer production should be released in the summer.
Czech zoologists say extra rhino species should be recognised
Zoologists from the Czech Republic, Sri Lanka and Australia have come to the conclusion that there are six types of rhino in the world, one more than previously thought. The expert team believes that the Northern White Rhino should be treated as a separate type, one of their number, Jan Robovský from the natural science faculty at the South Bohemian University, told the Czech Press Agency. He said there were so many differences with the type it used to be included with that it deserved to be set apart. Only around eight such Northern Whites are believed to exit in the world. Four were shipped out from a Czech zoo at the end of last year to a Kenya reservation in the hope they could be encouraged to breed.
Tennis legend Martina Navrátilová reveals she has breast cancer
Czech-born tennis star Martina Navrátilová has revealed that she has breast cancer. A routine scan in February revealed the cancer in its early stages with her prospects of recovering considered excellent. Navrátilová, who took up US citizenship, decided to publicize her problem as a warning to other women to get regular scans. She admitted that she was fortunate in discovering the cancer early after failing to go for check ups for several years. The 53 year old tennis legend won the singles Wimbledon title nine times among the series of grand slam titles she collected during a long career at the top.
Weather
The next few days will bring pleasant and sunny weather, with temperatures of up to 17 degrees Celsius. It will turn cloudy with rain over the weekend.
