U.S. to scout missile sites in Czech Rep.

[Eugene]

Wednesday, July 12, 2006 · Last updated 6:05 a.m. PT

U.S. to scout missile sites in Czech Rep.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Experts from the United States will arrive in the Czech
Republic next week to examine locations for possible U.S. missile-defense base,
the Czech Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

Defense Ministry spokesman Jan Pejsek said in a statement that a group of experts
from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency will arrive in the country on July 18. It did
not say how large the delegation would be or where they would visit.

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Pejsek said the visit will only allow the United States to review suitable locations
for a base from which U.S. interceptors could shoot down long-range missiles
as part of a global defense network.

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Outgoing Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek has repeatedly said that a referendum would
be needed to decide whether the country should host such a base, however, Mirek
Topolanek, chairman of the conservative Civic Democratic Party that has been
negotiating a coalition government with the center-right Christian Democrats and
the Green Party following the June 2-3 elections, says parliament should decided.

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