A Czech civic group said on Friday it planned to have the Brdy hills to be UNESCO-listed as it disagreed with the stationing of a U.S. radar base in the Brdy military area.

"We are preparing brochures and a petition to have the Brdska Vrchovina hills UNESCO-listed and also to have it declared as a protected area," said Pavel Camsky, chairman of the Brdy-Res publica.

Local town halls also oppose the radar base plan. They intend to call local referendums across 11 towns and villages of the area with almost 8,000 residents.

The Czech government officially agreed Wednesday to start negotiations with the United States over the location of a radar base, which is part of a planned U.S. anti-missile shield in central Europe. The negotiations are expected to start in mid-May and go on until the year's end.

Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said the American radar installation will strengthen the Czech Republic's security.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said last week that the Czech Republic recognized the existence of security threats and the need to build a NATO anti-missile system.

The United States unveiled its plan in January to place a radar system in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland.

Most Czech residents opposed the proposed radar base, citing fears over worsened relations with Russia and threat to national security.

Source: Xinhua