(07/20/09) -

Czechs Still Wary of U.S. Missile Defence Shield

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – People on the Czech Republic remain skeptical about a plan to participate in the U.S. missile defence shield, according to a poll by CVVM. Only 26 per cent of respondents support the construction of a base in Czech territory, and 71 per cent believe the issue should be decided in a referendum.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – People on the Czech Republic remain skeptical about a plan to participate in the U.S. missile defence shield, according to a poll by CVVM. Only 26 per cent of respondents support the construction of a base in Czech territory, and 71 per cent believe the issue should be decided in a referendum.

In December 2002, then U.S. president George W. Bush announced plans for the development of initial defence capabilities, which include ground-based and sea-based missile interceptors, as well as sensors located in space. Washington has explained the project as a means to defend the U.S. and its European allies from a potential attack by Iran or North Korea.

In January 2007, the U.S. issued a formal request to place a radar base in the Czech Republic—in a military area southwest of Prague—as well as 10 interceptor missiles in Poland. The deal on the radar installation has yet to be ratified by Czech legislators.

The Czech Republic is a member of both the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Last year, EU officials asked the Czech Republic to include the continental group in these discussions, but the government—headed at the time by Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek—declined to do so.

Some countries doubt that Iran could actually represent a danger for the U.S. and its allies in Europe and fear the missile-defence shield could eventually become a threat to other nations instead—including Russia.

Earlier this month, former Czech ambassador to the United States Alexander Vondra commented on the "joint understanding" between the governments of the U.S. and Russia to reduce their number of nuclear warheads in stock, saying, "The framework agreement lowering nuclear missiles is no surprise. Both sides wanted it. The world can only welcome it."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose the construction of a U.S. missile defence shield base in the Czech Republic?

Do you support or oppose holding a referendum to settle the issue?

Source: CVVM
Methodology: Interviews with 1,107 Czech adults, conducted from Jun. 8 to Jun. 15, 2009. Margin of error is 3 per cent.