US House of Representatives approves spending cuts which would impact missile defence

The US House of Representatives has approved cuts in defence spending despite a White House veto threat which – if passed - would impact US missile defence, including plans for a US radar base in the Czech Republic. The amount of the cuts: 700 million US dollars. The US administration has been negotiating for ten interceptor rockets to be housed in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic, to counter the threat of so-called rogue states; cuts in funding on missile defence, the White House has said, would jeopardise US security. It objected to the bill over a number of provisions, saying advisors would recommend President Bush use the presidential veto if they remained.

Just this week the Czech government announced it had agreed on a treaty on a US radar base being stationed in the country. The agreement is expected to be signed in late June/early July.