PRAGUE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Czech opposition Social Democrat chairman Jiri Paroubek said his meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday has changed nothing in his party's objection to the planned deployment of a U.S. radar base on Czech territory.

    "We differ on this particular issue, but this does not downgrade friendship with the American people," Paroubek said at a press conference.

    Nevertheless, his party is still interested in close alliance with the United States, he said.

    He said that his party insisted on the issue being decided on by people in a referendum.

    Bush arrived here for a working visit late Monday. His trip was focusing on the planned installation of the U.S. radar base on Czech territory.

    Late Tuesday, Bush ended his visit in Prague and left for Germany to attend the G8 summit.

    More than 60 percent of Czechs oppose the U.S. radar base. The plan is also opposed by municipalities in the surroundings of the military district Brdy where the base is to be built.