(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Almost two-thirds of people in the Czech Republic are against their country participating in a defence strategy with the United States, according to a poll by Median. 63 per cent of respondents oppose the installation of an American radar on Czech soil to be used for missile defence.

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.

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.

The deal on the radar installation is yet to be ratified by Czech legislators. On Apr. 28, Czech foreign ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova said that the bilateral pact would not be signed by May 6—as had been expected—citing a "matter of logistics."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose the planned installation of a U.S. missile defence radar on Czech soil?

Source: Median
Methodology: Interviews with 1,158 Czech adults, conducted from Apr. 2 to May 1, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

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