Czech U.S. radar refusal may cause problem

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, May 28 (UPI) -- A Czech government minister said Prague might have to reimpose its obligatory draft if it rejects a U.S. plan to deploy a radar base.

Czech European Affairs Minister Alexandr Vondra said NATO's support of the Czech government in case of an emergency might not be ready and unreserved if Prague refuses to accept the U.S. radar base on Czech soil, Radio Praha reported Monday.

U.S. President George Bush will be in Prague next week and the radar base is expected to be among topics discussed.

A recent public opinion poll indicated nearly 70 percent of Czechs are against the deployment of the U.S. radar base and about 2,000 people staged a protest against the plan in Prague Saturday.

Vondra's warning came Sunday in a Prague television talk show.

Prague abolished its compulsory military service in 2005 assuming the Czech Republic could rely upon other NATO countries in case of any military threat.

The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and became a member of the European Union in 2004.