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Greenpeace opens 'Peaceland' at U.S.-planned Czech radar base

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Greenpeace activists protesting against a proposed U.S. missile defense radar in the Czech Republic declared the 'founding of a new state' called Peaceland on Monday.
WARSAW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) - Greenpeace activists protesting against a proposed U.S. missile defense radar in the Czech Republic declared the 'founding of a new state' called Peaceland on Monday.

Peaceland is located in the Brdy military zone, where the radar is to be stationed, around 90 kms (some 55 miles) southwest of the Czech capital, Prague. Some 20 Greenpeace activists have been occupying the territory since April 28.

"This is a state whose citizens are against the installment of the U.S. radar in Brdy. The state has its own flag, anthem, declaration of independence and borders," a Greenpeace spokeswoman and citizen of Peaceland, Lenka Borakova, said.

No arms are allowed on the territory of Peaceland, activists added.

The base to be built in Brdy is part of a U.S. missile defense system that Washington wants to deploy in the Czech Republic, along with 10 missile interceptors in Poland, purportedly to counter a threat from Iran and other "rogue" states.

The government of the Czech Republic approved the U.S. plans on May 21. The document still needs to be ratified by the country's parliament and signed by President Vaclav Klaus, however.

An opinion poll conducted in April showed that two-thirds of Czechs were against the U.S. missile shield plans.

There is also considerable opposition to the deployment plan in the Czech parliament, with the leading opposition force, the Social Democratic Party, demanding a public dialogue on the issue.

Russia has fiercely opposed the plans, saying the Central European shield would destroy the strategic balance of forces and threaten Russia's national interests.

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