America to have final say on missile deployment says Schwarzenberg

In the same interview, Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg clarified that it would be the United States, and not NATO, who would have the final say on whether to deploy a counter-missile from the proposed missile-defence system to be built in the Czech Republic and Poland. Mr. Schwarzenberg stated that while the missile-defence shield that the US plans to build in the Czech Republic would fit in with NATO's 'political architecture', it would be United States that made any decisions on 'button pushing'. This, he said, was because there would be no time for consultation in a crisis. If approved by the Czech parliament, the radar base would be part of the United States' global missile defence programme. It is set to house around 200 US soldiers and civilians and go into operation in 2011.

Author: Rosie Johnston