The Czech Republic and the United States do not reckon with observers from Russia or any other country permanently staying at the planned U.S. radar base on Czech soil, Czech Deputy Defense Minister Martin Bartak said on Sunday.
If Russia showed interest and if the Czech Republic gave consent to it, a Russian inspector could be permitted to enter the base, Bartak said in a debate on Czech Television.
"However, (the negotiators) really do not reckon with anyone else but Americans and Czechs being permanently present at the base," he said.
Inspection visits to the radar are a different thing. They are admissible on certain conditions, Bartak said.
He said the main access to the base should be guarded by the Czech military, a condition the Czech negotiators have set.
Apart from the main treaty, there is the complementary treaty, SOFA, which deals with the U.S. soldiers' status on Czech territory, and which continues to be negotiated.
The United States plans to build a radar base at the Brdy military district, some 90 km southwest of Czech capital Prague, along with an interceptor missile base in Poland, but Warsaw has yet to agree to the move.
Russia is strongly opposed to the deployment of the system, saying the plan poses threat to its strategic interests. Some 70 percent of Czech citizens also oppose the project.
Source:Xinhua
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