US ready to site new missile defence headquarters in Czech Republic: report

The United States is reported to be preparing to site the command and control headquarters for a new missile defence system in the Czech Republic. According to the Washington Post, Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ellen Tauscher made the comments about the Czech headquarters at a conference on Wednesday. She added that the US’ allies are now coming round to President Barack Obama’s decision to dump the former administration’s anti-missile defence plans and come up with new ones.

President Obama announced last month that the US no longer wanted to go ahead with bilateral plans to site a missile tracking radar in the Czech Republic twinned with interceptor missiles in Poland. The new defence system would be prepared with NATO, be rolled out quicker and have a wider coverage to protect US allies in Europe, the US minister said. US Vice-President Joe Biden is due to visit the Czech Republic between October 20 and October 24 to discuss the new anti-missile defence plans. A spokesman for the Czech Foreign Ministry said it had not yet received any specific proposals.

Author: Chris Johnstone