Russia is not an enemy of the United States and shouldn't fear a
proposed missile defense system designed to thwart a possible
nuclear attack from Iran, US President George W. Bush said
Tuesday.
"Russia is not the enemy," Bush said after meeting with Czech
leaders in a visit en route to the G8 summit in Germany. He said he
would take a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "we
can work together on common threats."
The Kremlin is bitterly opposed to the missile shield, and Putin
has warned that Russia could take "retaliatory steps" if Washington
insists on building it.
Polls show more than 60 percent of Czechs are against plans to
station a radar system southwest of Prague, and surveys in Poland -
where 10 interceptor missiles would be based - show strong
opposition there as well. Both countries are still negotiating with
the US over whether to host the shield.
Bush sought to play down Russia's response, which has
overshadowed his European trip.
"The Cold War is over. It ended," Bush said at the medieval
Prague Castle, where he met with Czech President Vaclav Klaus and
Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek.
"My message will be: 'Vladimir - I call him Vladimir - you
shouldn't fear a missile defense system. As a matter of fact, why
don't you cooperate with us on a missile defense system?"' Bush
said.
"The people of the Czech Republic don't have to choose between
being a friend of Russia or a friend of the United States. You can
be both," he added.
US experts contend the shield poses no threat to Russia because
the missiles involved would be purely defensive and incapable of
being fitted with warheads.
Bush said the system would be coordinated with NATO. He said he
would urge Putin to participate. "Please send your generals over to
see how such a system would work. Send your scientists," Bush
said.
Later Tuesday, Bush delivered a speech to an international
conference on democracy and security at the ornate hilltop Czernin
Palace before heading to Germany for the summit.
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Klaus said he had frank and open discussions with Bush on the radar
system, which would be placed inside the sprawling Brdy military
zone southwest of Prague, "and we understand each other."
"We are aware that the US bears high responsibility for the
situation in the world, and I would like to stress that the United
States and President Bush have our support in that," said Klaus,
whose country has deployed troops to the US-led campaigns in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
But many ordinary Czechs worry that it could make them terrorist
targets.
On Monday, several hundred people demonstrated near the castle,
chanting "Shame on Bush!," carrying cardboard rockets and waving
banners that read: "Bush: World Hate Tour 2007." No protests were
planned for Tuesday.
US officials argue that the missile shield would protect both
the United States and Europe from a rocket attack by Iran if the
Islamic republic gains nuclear weapons capability. Teheran says its
nuclear program is purely peaceful; the US contends it is covertly
trying to build a bomb.
Russia, however, is deeply distrustful of any US missiles in
Europe - particularly in nations such as the Czech Republic and
Poland, both of which were in the Soviet orbit during the Cold
War.
Putin said his government would consider aiming nuclear weapons
at US military bases in Europe if Washington goes ahead with the
shield.
In another development, Bush said he will work for the abolition
of the visa duty for Czech citizens traveling to the United States.
However, the abolition is naturally connected with certain security
requirements, said Bush.
Topolanek said that the visa issue cannot be connected with the
radar base. However, he said the US visa requirements are unjust
and must be lifted. He trusts Bush's effort to strive for visa-free
relations with the Czech Republic.
President Vaclav Klaus said that a solution to the visa issue
would strengthen Czech-US relations.
Unlike Czechs, US citizens do not need tourist visas when
traveling to the Czech Republic.
The visa regime is considered one of the few problems in the
relations between the EU newcomers and the United States which has
visa-free relations with 27 countries, including all old EU members
except for Greece, as well as Slovenia among the newcomers.
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Bush had assured Klaus at the summit in Latvia last year that he
would strive for the abolition of visas for Czechs and other EU
newcomers.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2007)
