The government approved the Czech-American agreement on 26 April. Photo credit: army.cz.
Washington, May 23 (CTK) – Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova will meet her U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin in Washington today to sign the Czech-American Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), the Pentagon press department told CTK.
The head of the Czech Defence Ministry press department, David Jares, also confirmed the meeting and the signing of the agreement .
“The DCA will be signed on Tuesday morning, Washington time,” Jares told CTK.
On 26 April, the government approved the Czech-American agreement, which it says will set the terms of possible cooperation with the U.S. armed forces on Czech territory. Once signed, the agreement must be approved by both houses of the Czech parliament and signed by the president.
The agreement does not address the specific stay of U.S. troops or the possible establishment of a U.S. base in the Czech Republic.
Most NATO member countries already have a DCA or equivalent agreement with the United States.
Austin visited the Czech Republic last September. He and then Czech president Milos Zeman agreed that defence cooperation between the Czech Republic and the US is at a high level and that both countries want to continue to strengthen and deepen it. Austin also held talks with Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Cernochova (both ODS). Cernochova described the United States as the Czech Republic’s most important ally.
