Schwarzenberg defends radar base in Austrian press

The Czech Foreign Minister, Karel Schwarzenberg, has reacted to claims made by the Austrian Defence Minister, Norbert Darabos, that the planned U.S radar base to be built in the Czech Republic is a "provocation". Mr. Darabos said last week that the U.S building a missile shield in the former Eastern Europe would provoke Russia. But in comments made in Monday's Kurier - an Austrian daily - Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg said that there was no such thing as "Eastern Europe", and that the Czech base would be further west than a similar Austrian missile shield. The Austrian government has distanced itself from Mr. Darabos' comments, calling them unprofessional.