Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (R) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, on July 8, 2008. Rice arrived here on Tuesday to sign a treaty on the stationing of a U.S. radar base in the East European country with her Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg. . (Xinhua Photo)
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has said he considers the technical agreement far more important than the radar deal, noting that the United States has similar agreements only with a few countries such as Australia, Britain and Japan.
However, a recent opinion poll showed that up to 70 percent of Czech citizens oppose the project. Several hundred people rallied in Prague's Wenceslas Square late Tuesday to protest against the signature of the radar base treaty.
The demonstrators called on the Czech government to resign. They said Prime Minister Topolanek is a liar and Rice a war criminal.
The opponents called for a referendum on the radar base to be held. They said some 100,000 people have signed a referendum petition.
Russia is also strongly opposed to the missile defense system plan in eastern Europe, saying the plan poses a threat to its strategic interests.
