(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The vast majority of people in the Czech Republic are still expecting a chance to vote on their country’s participation in a defence project with the United States, according to a poll by CVVM. 67 per cent of respondents oppose the missile defence project, and 68 per cent want the government to call a referendum on the issue.

In December 2002, 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 Czech Republic—a member of both the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—is currently negotiating with the U.S. the construction of the radar base. Some EU officials have asked the Czech Republic to include the continental group in these discussions, but the government of Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek has so far declined to do so.

The main treaty on the radar base was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg on Jul. 8. The deal has yet to be ratified by Czech legislators.

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.

On Oct. 1, the government approved a framework agreement on strategic cooperation with the United States in missile defence, including potential Czech scientific and industrial entities participating in the development of the shield project. First deputy defence minister Martin Bartak said that the deal "should be signed in the weeks ahead."

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 1,066 Czech adults, conducted from Sept. 1 to Sept. 8, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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