Defence Minister defends song for George Bush

Czech Defence minister Vlasta Parkanova caused a furore on Tuesday by presenting the visiting US President George Bush with a song in support of a proposed controversial American radar base in this country. The minister gave the president a CD recording of her singing an old, communist-era song with special lyrics welcoming the idea of a US radar facility in the Czech Republic. It's a move that has prompted ridicule among MPs opposed to the radar and even those tentatively in favour of the plan - such as senior Christian Democrat MP Cyril Svoboda - have said that her action was ill advised. Ms Parkanova, for her part, claims that she was simply trying to lighten the poisonous atmosphere that has surrounded the debate about the hotly disputed base.