By DPA
Prague : US President George W. Bush on Tuesday sought to strike a conciliatory tone with Russia, angered over the US missile shield plans in Europe, with vows of transparency and yet another offer for Russia to join the US missile defence system.
"The Cold War is over. It ended," Bush said during a visit to Prague.
"The people of the Czech Republic don't have to choose between being a friend with the United States or a friend with Russia. They can be both."
His comments came a day after the Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the US plans could prompt Russia to point its own missiles at Europe and "increase the possibility of unleashing a nuclear conflict."
"Russia is not our enemy," Bush told reporters after a meeting with Czech leaders – President Vaclav Klaus and Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, adding that the enemies of a free society were "extremists or rogue states trying to blackmail the free world."
Bush also made another offer for Russia to join the missile shield project that will, according to the US, counter a growing missile threat from Iran.
"You should not fear the missile defence system," Bush said, adding that he would tell Putin during their meeting at the Group of Eight (G8) summit in Germany this week and later in the US.
"Why don't you cooperate with us on the missile defence system? Why don't you participate with the United States?"
Bush added that the US was committed to transparency on the issue. "Please send your generals over to see how such a system works," he said.
In his first meeting with Czech leaders in Prague Tuesday, Bush spoke with supporters of the plan for the US missile shield in Europe. The US has been negotiating with the Czech Republic and Poland about a deployment of a tracking radar and 10 interceptor missiles for the system's European arm.
"We are aware that the United States is highly responsible for the world's developments and I would like to stress that the Czech Republic supports President Bush and the United States in that (effort)," Klaus said.
Bush faces a tougher meeting later Tuesday with Social Democratic opposition leader Jiri Paroubek, whose party has so far rejected the US radar base on Czech soil.
Paroubek has already vowed that the meeting with the US leader is not going to change his party's negative stance.
The US president also promised to do his best to persuade US Congress to lift visas for the Czechs, who are required to apply for visas in order to travel to the US, despite being citizens of the European Union.
Czechs, whose troops fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, consider the visa duty unjust. They also view the application procedure as cumbersome and degrading.
"People in the Czech Republic say: Get it done now. We are tired of waiting," Bush said before turning towards Klaus. "Mr. President, I just want to assure you I am working as hard as I possibly can."
Topolanek said the deployment of the US radar on Czech soil and the drive to lift visas were two separate matters.
"Visas are unjust," he said, adding, "But to talk about a barter trade would be very undignified."