A CSIS Statesmen's Forum with H.E. Mirek Topolanek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, was quoted by the Associated Press, &q

The United States and the Czech Republic failed on Wednesday to complete an agreement on basing a U.S. anti-missile radar facility near Prague because of a Czech demand for strict environmental rules. Both sides predicted the dispute could be settled quickly.

"These aren't easy agreements to put in place," President Bush said after White House talks with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. ''But we feel optimistic that we will get this done." [...]

Later at a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Topolanek said that he expected that Poland will complete its negotiations with the United States in the next few months.

At Bush's side, Topolanek said "there are only three words remaining to be resolved and discussed." Bush refused to describe them, but the Czech leader later said they deal with environmental protection standards for the radar facility.

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