Nečas: US facility on Czech territory to be part of NATO defence system

An "early warning centre" that the US is aiming to build on Czech territory would be part of a NATO missile defence system, Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas said on Friday. Washington and Prague are discussing the creation of such a facility, which Mr Nečas said would be run by Czechs, doing away with the need for a bilateral treaty. He said it would collate satellite information about rockets aimed at NATO states, and would be more technical and administrative than military in nature. Mr Nečas said the US was proposing to put around USD 2 million into the project in 2011 and 2012.

President Barack Obama last year announced the dropping of plans for an American anti-missile shield that would have included a radar base in the Czech Republic.