Czech govt faces tough debate on U.S. radar base

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The Czech government may face a tough task to push through parliament a plan to allow the United States to build a radar base as a part of its planned missile defence, comments by political parties showed on Wednesday.

Washington asked the central European NATO ally to host the radar station while neighbouring Poland was asked to allow a larger base with rockets meant to shoot down missiles that could be fired from North Korea, Iran or other "rogue regimes".

The centre-right Czech government has agreed to start talks on the U.S. request regarding the radar station. The senior right-wing Civic Democrats back the idea in general.

"I am deeply convinced that locating the base (here) will raise the safety of the Czech Republic and its citizens," Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said at a hearing in parliamentary committees on Wednesday, kicking off public debate on the issue.

But the left-wing opposition Social Democrats said on Wednesday that while they have not taken a firm position on the issue, party members were leaning against hosting the radar.

"A crushing majority of those who take part (in an internal debate) is against the radar base and in favour of a referendum," Social Democrat chief Jiri Paroubek said.

The government is against holding a referendum.

Paroubek told a news conference his party's leadership would draft a position on the issue soon and may release it next week. The Social Democrats have also called a special parliamentary session for Feb. 7 to discuss the radar system.

The other opposition party, the Communists, are firmly against the radar.

The government led by right-wing Civic Democrats holds just 100 seats in the lower house of parliament, one short of an absolute majority needed to allow foreign troops on Czech soil. Approving the base would thus need opposition support.

Debate on the base is also taking off in Poland. Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski will invite leaders of all political parties next week to discuss the plan next week.

[PRAGUE/Reuters/Finance.cz]