However, Norway respects bilateral treaties on the building of the radar that the Czech government concluded with the American side, Støre said after his meeting with Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg.
Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg (on the left) and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Støre at the press conference 18 December. Photo: ČTK
Støre arrived in the Czech Republic in connection with the forthcoming Czech EU presidency that will start in January. On the basis of an agreement between Norway and the EU the Norwegian foreign minister always visits the next EU president in a month preceding the start of the presidency.
Støre said that Norway had always had a critical view on the plans for the construction of the missile defence system in central Europe which is no secret. On the other hand, Norway respects the fact that there are bilateral treaties between the Czech Republic and the USA. Støre added. He said Norway wanted to take party in further negotiations on the system that were to take place within NATO.
Støre expressed his country's position on the missile defence system parts of which the USA wants to station in the Czech Republic and Poland as the protection against possible threats from Iran or North Korea on the same day when a delegation of U.S. Congressmen headed by influential Democrat Ellen Tauscher discussed the building of the radar base on Czech soil with Czech politicians.
Tauscher has long been demanding that the system protecting the USA and its allies against possible hostile missiles be fully included in the NATO complex of defence. She also demands that the project be subjected to more tests. Speculations have recently appeared that the implementation of the missile defence project could be temporarily adjourned in connection with the global financial crisis.
There are also views that the administration of President-elect Barack Obama could abandon the plan to station interceptor missiles in Poland and only continue the construction of the radar base in the Czech Republic. Although Obama has not expressed a definitive position on the missile defence system he has made it clear that he would give it the green light if its effectivity were proved.
Støre and Schwarzenberg discussed today the Czech EU presidency. Although Norway is not an EU member like its all 27 countries it belongs, along with Iceland and Liechtenstein, to the European Economic Space.
The Norwegian Labour Ministry announced on Tuesday that Norway would fully open its labour market to Czechs and Slovaks as of next May. Lifting of barriers on the EU internal markets is one of the priorities of the forthcoming Czech EU presidency.
Author: ČTK
Source: www.ceskenoviny.cz