New round of negotiations on radar to begin

Czech and US negotiators will open a fifth round of negotiations in the Czech capital on Monday on a possible tracking radar in the country as part of the United States’ expanded missile defence shield. US officials revealed the news in Prague on Friday. The first three days of talks will focus on a general legal agreement. Negotiations will then switch to a separate deal covering ballistic missile defence and the radar's operation on January 31. Recently the US showed increased interest in sealing a deal quickly. But Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek has stressed that getting a quality agreement took priority over speed. Washington wants its anti-missile shield in place and operational by 2012 in order to counter threats by so-called rogue states.

Author: Jan Velinger