The main treaty on the installation of the U.S. radar base on Czech soil might be signed in the first half of July at the latest, Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra told Frekvence 1 radio station on Monday.
"We don't have the date (of signature) for the time being. I think it could be achieved in June, or in the first half of July at the latest," Vondra said.
He said the exact date of the signature is not yet known and that June or July are being considered.
Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said in an interview with Radio Impuls that he would like both treaties related to the radar to be signed before the summer holiday.
Topolanek said that he would not hurry to have the treaties discussed by the two houses of the Czech parliament, but he would not like the debate on the theme to be "transferred" to next year.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was originally expected to sign the main treaty on the radar base in the Brdy military district, southwest of Prague, on Monday. However, her visit had to be postponed due to Rice's busy schedule.
According to Vondra, in summer Rice could sign both the main treaty on the radar, the negotiations on which are already completed, and the complementary SOFA agreement dealing with U.S. soldiers' status on Czech territory, which could be completed by then.
"As far as SOFA is concerned, it is still necessary to reach consensus on certain tax issues. We need some more time in this case, but I think the negotiations could be completed by then (summer)," Vondra said.
"The SOFA talks have been completed at 95 percent. There are some 5 percent left for negotiations," he added.
Russia is strongly opposed to the deployment of the radar system, saying the plan poses threat to its strategic interests.
(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2008)
