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U.S. Team Finishes Survey of Potential Czech Republic Missile Defense Interceptor Sites
A 22-person team of U.S. military experts yesterday finished their survey of three sites in the Czech Republic that could house U.S. missile interceptors, the Xinhua News Agency reported (see GSN, July 13). The experts confirmed that the three military locations were appropriate for such sites, Czech Defense Ministry spokesman Jan Pejsek said in a statement. Several European nations have reportedly been considered as the site for the first U.S. strategic missile defense site outside U.S. territory. The base would be intended to defend Europe against long-range missiles, particularly from launches from the Middle East, analysts say (Xinhua News Agency I/People’s Daily, July 26). Polish President Lech Kaczynski, whose country is also believed to be under consideration, yesterday expressed reservations about the plan. “I would not like to decide unambiguously here, at this moment. I approach the issue of extra-territoriality with reserve, I do not hide that. … We will see how the issue develops,” Kaczynski said, according to the Polish news agency PAP. “The missile defense shield is a problem that is to be the subject of deliberation by the National Security Council. It will be the subject of talks between the president, prime minister and government.” The Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, reported that Washington has offered several conditions for locating the base in Poland. The United States wants sole authority to decide when to fire the interceptors. Polish authorities would have no authority to inspect equipment at the site. U.S. personnel would be subject only to U.S. laws and courts even for crimes committed outside the base, the newspaper reported. The terms of construction “are negotiable with the Americans,” said senior National Defense Ministry official Janusz Onyszkiewicz. “Polish law must be in force on our territory, which can only be limited in situations where the interests of Poland or Poles are under threat. In this case, Polish jurisdiction must be maintained,” Onyszkiewicz said (PAP/BBC Monitoring, July 25). U.S. missile defense surveyors do not plan to visit Hungary as they look for interceptor sites, Xinhua reported today. Foreign Ministry spokesman Viktor Polgar said that U.S. experts are not expected to visit in August (Xinhua News Agency II /People’s Daily, July 26).
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