US missile defense plan to be discussed by NATO ministers

The US plan to site an anti-missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland is to be discussed by NATO defense ministers at their meeting in Spain later this week. Czech Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanova confirmed the news on Tuesday saying that the issue had been put on the Seville agenda. "The goal is very clear. We want this issue to be discussed by NATO member states," minister Parkanova said. Czech opponents of the US radar base have highlighted the bilateral nature of negotiations between Washington and Prague and the lack of a NATO perspective on the proposals.

Under the US proposal, the base located jointly in the Czech Republic and Poland would be part of a planned US global missile defence system. If approved the radar base in the Czech Republic should go into operation in 2011 and house around 200 military and civilian personnel.