Czechs begin negotiations with US on radar base

Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek announced on Wednesday that official negotiations have commenced between the government and the United States over the building of a US radar base in the Czech Republic, which should comprise part of an American missile defence system. Earlier, Czech deputy defence minister Martin Bartak said after meeting with US defence department officials that negotiations between the two countries will probably last until the end of the year. Meanwhile, a poll published today by the Factum Invenio agency indicates that 56 percent of Czech citizens are in favour of opening negotiations with the US on the radar base. Previous polls suggested that most Czechs were opposed to the facility being located on their territory.