A certain nationwide consensus is needed on the issue of the possible U.S. radar base in the Czech republic, President Vaclav Klaus said at a meeting with U.S. Congressman Trent Franks on Thursday.
"We must be able to use arguments in this discussion, but we must also be attentive listeners and we must be able to listen to one another," said Klaus.
Franks, an expert in missile systems, is visiting Prague to debate the radar base. He met Czech opposition Social Democrat head Jiri Paroubek the same day.
Paroubek told Franks that his party would respect the result of a referendum.
The threat of a missile attack by a terrorist or a "fool" is " virtual," Paroubek said.
The United States unveiled its plan in January to place in Poland 10 long-range interceptors capable of shooting down missiles and a radar system in the Czech Republic.
The American-Czech negotiations on the base were previously planned to continue until the end of the year.
A recent opinion poll shows that more than two thirds of the Czech citizens are against such a base in their country.
The Czech center-right government supports the project, while the opposition Social Democrats and the Communists demand that a referendum be held on the issue.
Source: Xinhua
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