More Wisdom From New Europe

Some day - maybe - the Euroweenies just might get it. In the meantime, New Europe does: Europe's lower defence capability splits NATO

Europe's lower defence capability, compared to the USA that has an anti missile shield, divides NATO into two unequal parts, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS) told public Czech Television (CT) today, before his meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush.

Topolanek said that exactly the insufficient will to defence has been the most serious problem of Europe during the past 100 years.

"Europe's lower defence [capability] with regard to the currently functioning missile defence shield over the USA creates two unequal parts inf the Alliance of which we are members," said Topolanek.

He added that this situation might be Russia's target and the way how to weaken NATO's security position in the world.

"NATO's member states in Europe have immense problems since they do not have defence budgets that could develop as sophisticated devices as exactly the defence system against long-range missiles is," Topolanek stressed, adding that NATO is not able to develop and push through such equipment in Europe at present.

He said that in the end a U.S. equipment would be located in Europe anyway, and implemented in the European defence against short-, middle- and long-range missiles.

Topolanek recalled that the USA had been "a pioneer" in some applications in arms industry that NATO then adopted several times in the past.

Harriet Reid and Robert ByrdTyrd were unavailable for comment.