Czech cabinet approves extension of stay for British military advisers

Czech cabinet said on Monday that it has approved the extension of British military advisers operating in the Czech Republic for another five years.

The British team has been operating at the Czech University of Defence in Vyskov, south Moravia, since 2000. Its task is to train non-commissioned officers of the Czech military, other NATO countries and countries that cooperate with NATO within the Partnership for Peace programme.

The team of British advisers has 30 members in Czech Republic at present. Czech Defence Ministry hopes the team to have this number at the most and the number of foreign soldiers that undergo the training in Vyskov must not cross 100 people in one course.

Czech Defence Ministry's spokesman Petr Medek said the British presence in Vyskov facilitates and makes cheaper Czech soldiers' participation in the courses, because there is no need to cover travelling costs or the soldiers' stay abroad.

In addition, the British team's presence enhances Prague's prestige in NATO and also helps effectively use the Vyskov university and training complex that was built for the previous far larger Czechoslovak army in the past.

The extension of the British mission still requires consent from parliament. Medek said that as the team is a military unit operating under a single command, its operation in Czech requires consent from Czech parliament. Endit