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On Tuesday, a special NATO summit designed to address the current crisis in Georgia, concluded with strong statements directed towards Russia. The current crisis appears to have solidified concerns that Russia is becoming a potentially dangerous re-emerging power. Eastern European countries, wary of past experiences have been particularly tough in their rhetoric against Russia, and now, a controversial defence shield located in Poland and the Czech Republic seems more certain as a result of the conflict. Dominik Jun spoke with Oldřich Bureš, a

The Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has called the Russian invasion of Georgia a violation of international law. The comments came as he attended an emergency summit of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels designed to address the current crisis in Georgia. The Czech Foreign Minister also pledged to persuade the Czech government to provide 150 million crowns in aid for Georgia. The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also attended the summit, pressing European countries to adopt a tougher line against Russia. One proposed measure was freezing the six-year-old NATO-Russia Council, which unites 27 governments for discussions about issues such as international security and counter-terrorism. However, members at today’s meeting pulled in various directions – with some favouring a tougher line, while others urging caution against “knee-jerk” reactions. The Czech Republic is believed to favour a tougher line against Russia. Following the meeting, Condoleezza Rice is set to visit Warsaw to sign a missile-defence agreement with that country – a move which Russia believes is a deliberate provocation.

Several of Josef Koudelka’s 1968 photos are being shown at the Mánes gallery, by the River Vltava, in a new exhibition entitled 1945 – Liberation, 1968 – Occupation. Two rooms of iconic black and white photographs show two very different sets of images: the Red Army greeted with smiles and flowers in May 1945, and Russian soldiers berated by angry crowds in August 1968. So how do the people looking at these images feel about today's Russia, especially in the light of the current situation in Georgia?

The fighting over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia, and the fragile ceasefire which Georgians claim is repeatedly violated by Russian troops, has raised fears of a prolonged conflict between Moscow and the pro-Western, ex-Soviet state. And, on a broader scale, it has fuelled speculation about how Russia’s military offensive into South Ossetia could affect international relations, the balance of power in Europe and plans to expand NATO and the EU. Veronika Kuchynova Smigolova is head of the Security Policy Department at the Czech

A top NATO general has criticized allied nations for not keeping their promises to support the Afghan army. According to the supreme commander of NATO forces in Europe, this is not only hampering efforts to defeat the insurgent militants in the country but will also lead to a later withdrawal of NATO forces. But the Czech Army says it is following the agreed timetable and sending more and better equipped troops to Afghanistan.

The commander of NATO forces in Europe John Craddock has complained that Czech helicopters have not yet been deployed in Afghanistan. In an interview for the Financial Times on Monday, General Craddock said that allied nations were not keeping their obligations to send additional troops to Afghanistan. He also complained about insufficient funding of NATO operations in the country and specifically mentioned Czech helicopters which could not be moved to Afghanistan due to a lack of finances. According to the general the situation in Afghanistan is very explosive, with more allied soldiers dying there than in Iraq for the first time. The Czech Republic currently has around 300 troops on four missions in Afghanistan.

The Czech Republic and the United States signed an agreement Tuesday on the positioning of a US radar base on Czech territory as part of an American anti-missile defence shield in Europe. Embraced by the country’s government, the treaty has been criticised by the opposition, Czech anti-radar activists as well as leaders in Moscow.

Shortly before 3 pm this Tuesday the Czech Republic and the United States signed a treaty in Prague on the stationing of a US radar base on Czech soil: part of US plans for a broader missile defence shield in Europe. The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice together with Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg signed the agreement at Černín Palace – the Foreign Ministry in the Czech capital. Our reporter Jan Richter was at the scene and joined us in the minutes following the signing.

Prague and Washington are due to sign a treaty on the deployment of a missile defence radar on Czech soil on Tuesday, despite continued opposition from Russia. The Russian ambassador to Prague Alexei Fedotov told Czech TV on Sunday that his country would only be satisfied by a permanent presence of Russian inspectors at the base, an idea that the Czech government has repeatedly rejected.

Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg told reporters in Washington on Wednesday that his U.S. counterpart Condoleezza Rice would visit the Czech Republic in early July to sign a treaty – or treaties – on the planned deployment of a U.S. radar base on Czech soil. But in an interview for the Reuters news agency, Mr Schwarzenberg admitted he wasn’t sure ratification would get through the Czech parliament before George W. Bush leaves office. He also said he would offer his resignation if the proposal was defeated by MPs.