Under eastern eyes

Mirek Topolánek saddled up next to George Bush yesterday in the Oval Office and announced that the radar treaty is only a few days away. The meeting was clearly meant to increase the chance that the deal will be struck before Bush rides off into the sunset. Bush kept to the usual script and used the occasion to reiterate that missile defense in Central Europe is aimed against extremists who want to harm the freedom-lovers of the world and isn't targeted against Russia. Before the meeting, though, Topolánek veered from the script and indicated to LN that one of the main reasons for signing the treaty is the desire to deprive Russia of its sphere of influence in Central Europe. Russia has never given up this sphere of influence, he said. If this is truly what Topolánek believes, it should no doubt be a subject of discussion at the Nato summit in Bucharest and during the CR's rotating EU presidency. [Czech Republic Lidové noviny Romania European Union]