Prague, March 7 (CTK) - Britain has offered Czechs officials the opportunity to visit the military radar base in Fylingdales, northern England, Czech deputy PM for European affairs Alexandr Vondra (Civic Democrats, ODS) said after a meeting with British Minister of State for Europe Geoff Hoon today.

The Czech Republic is now deciding whether it will accommodate the United States' request that it host a radar base within the U.S. anti-missile system. A missile base is to be stationed in Poland.

The United States sent their request to both countries in January. The Czech government is now preparing an official answer.

The Czech senior government ODS favours the radar, but the public opinion is opposed to it. The junior government Green Party (SZ) wants the base to be part of NATO defence.

The senior opposition Social Democrats want a referendum to be held on the base and the Communists (KSCM) are sharply opposed to the radar.

Hoon says that the U.S. planned system of anti-missile defence of which the radar in the Czech Republic would be part, would protect Europe as well.

The radar base in Fylingdales serves both the Americans and Britons, and it is part of the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS).

The radar was stationed in Britain in 1963, in 1992 it was upgraded.

Vondra and Hoon, former British secretary of state for defence, agreed that both Britain and the Czech Republic are convinced that Europe needs the anti-missile shield to protect it.

Hoon said that the decision on the radar in the Czech Republic is a matter to be solved in negotiations between Prague and Washington.

He said that for instance North Korea could launch an enemy missile.