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Czech Republic on Board to Participate in The European Missile Defense Plan

By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.  

The prime minister of the Czech Republic said October 23 that the nation is prepared to participate in a newly proposed, U.S.-developed missile defense system in Europe.

Vice President Biden, on the final stop of his three-nation East European trip, thanked Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer during talks in Prague.

"One of the new threats to our common security comes from the spread of ballistic missiles, a growing number of which now can reach Europe," Biden said after meeting for an hour with Fischer. "The Czech Republic stepped up and did their part in the previous missile defense plan, and today we discussed the potential role the Czech Republic could play in a new architecture, a better architecture."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in Warsaw October 21 at a joint press conference with Biden that Poland views the new missile defense plan "as very interesting, necessary, and we are ready at the appropriate scale to participate."

Fischer told reporters at a news conference that "I used the opportunity to express our readiness as a NATO member to participate because the new architecture is going to be NATO-based and the Czech Republic is ready to participate."

Biden said a high-level defense team will visit Prague in early November to discuss the proposed anti-ballistic missile plan and defense cooperation on a range of areas.

"The new missile defense program is designed to meet existing threats in Europe with proven technology that will cover more of Europe, including the Czech Republic, more effectively than the previous system could have done," Biden said. "It also strengthens NATO's defense against future, more advanced missile threats."

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters during an informal defense ministers meeting October 23 in Bratislava, Slovakia, that the system proposed by President Obama would provide Europe and the United States protection against a "real threat." He said NATO will work to incorporate the new system into the alliance.

In September, Obama announced he would halt plans to install an advanced X-band radar station in the Czech Republic and 10 ground-based, long-range ballistic missile interceptors in Poland, but instead would develop a simpler system using existing technology. This new configuration is designed to address the more immediate threats posed by short-range and intermediate-range missiles, which have been developed and tested by Iran and North Korea. (See "Obama Announces New Plan to Defend Europe from Iranian Missiles ( http://www.america.gov/st/peacesec-english/2009/September/20090917132034esnamfuak0.1177637.html ).")

Beginning in 2011, the new missile defense architecture would feature deployments of sea and land-based missile interceptors, primarily upgraded versions of the Navy's existing Standard Missile-3 (SM-3), and a range of sensors in Europe to defend against the growing potential ballistic missile threat from countries like Iran and North Korea. Current intelligence indicates that short- and medium-range missiles well within range of the most populous regions of Europe pose the greater threat.

ENERGY SECURITY

Biden and Fischer also discussed energy security and Prague's efforts to promote greater interconnectivity for the European Union's natural gas and electricity networks. In particular, they discussed greater diversification of supply and routes, including the Nabucco pipeline project, which is designed to diversify the current natural gas suppliers and delivery routes for Europe but faces significant obstacles.

The pipeline, which has the backing of the European Union and the United States, is also designed to lessen European dependence on Russian energy sources. Biden said he and Fischer also discussed diversification into nuclear electricity generation.

While in Prague, Biden also met briefly with Czech President Vaclav Klaus at the ninth-century Prague Castle.

Biden made stops in Poland and Romania before concluding his consultations in Prague.

A transcript of Biden's remarks at the Prague press conference ( http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2009/October/20091023105404xjsnommis0.6323053.html ) is available on America.gov.

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)