Poll says 80% of Czechs hail cancellation of U.S. radar plans
04:58 01/12/2009 PRAGUE, December 1 (RIA Novosti) - A majority of Czechs welcome the cancellation of U.S. plans to build a radar base in the country, according to an opinion poll by the CVVM pollster, Czech radio reported.
In line with the poll results, 80% of the country’s residents are pleased that the Czech Republic will not host a U.S. radar base, and 12% are disappointed with the decision.
In September U.S. President Barack Obama canceled the previous administration’s plans to place 10 long-range ground-based interceptor missiles in Poland and a fixed radar in the Czech Republic.
Due to a reassessment of the threat for Iran, Washington announced a new scheme for a more flexible system, with a combination of land and sea-based interceptors based on the Standard Missile interceptor, SM-3.
Under the new plan, the U.S. would place ship-based SM-3s in the North and Mediterranean seas in 2011, and mobile land-based SM-3s in Central Europe by 2015.
In contrast to the previous system which was strongly opposed by Russia, the new multidirectional radars and missiles would not be able to penetrate deep into Russia's territory. However, Russian officials have voiced concerns over the new plans as well.
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