July 19, 2006 :: AFP :: News
A delegation of about 20 experts from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency have arrived in the Czech Republic to discuss the possible creation of a strategic missile defense site, reports the AFP. The delegation will visit at least three sites to examine whether they are suitable for the deployment of U.S. assets, including military zones at Jince, southwest of the capital Prague; Bolatice, in the southwest; and Libava, in the east of the country. According to Jan Pejsek, a spokesman for the Czech Defense Ministry, the visit is “the last stage in expert negotiations” before any political discussions on the matter. In recent days, the Czech media has said that Washington wants a final decision from Prague about the installation between now and the end of September. Poland and Hungary as also being considered as possible sites.
In a harsh denunciation of the U.S. visit, Colonel-General Nikolai Yesin, the former chief of staff of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, stated that Russia would be forced to respond if the U.S. were to deploy missile defense assets in Central Europe. As quoted by Interfax, Yesin vowed that Russia would “take appropriate countermeasures, and neutralize these systems in order to preserve its nuclear missile deterrence potential.” He added that he did believe the assertions of U.S. officials that the proposed BMD system would be deployed to defend against Iranian ICBMs. (Article)
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