US anti-missile system would defend whole Euro-Atlantic area, says Topolanek

The Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, says a planned US anti-missile defence system will protect the whole of the Euro-Atlantic area. Speaking in Prague at a conference about US plans to build a radar base in the Czech Republic, Mr Topolanek said unless European states expressed the will to defend themselves, they could face destruction. He pointed out that the anti-missile system was defensive, not offensive, adding that Russian criticism of the plan was aimed at weakening Euro-Atlantic ties.

US President George Bush will discuss the radar base with Mr Topolanek and the Czech president, Vaclav Klaus, in Prague at the start of next week.

Czech newspapers reported on Thursday that Mr Bush will not, as previously suggested, be accompanied by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.