United States, Poland Hold Missile Shield Talks

MISSILE DEFENSE

A recent opinion poll in Poland found that 51 percent of those surveyed opposed the plan to base the shield in their country, while 30 percent were in favour. Poland is one of the leading contributors of troops to the US-led operation in Iraq as well as NATO's security force in Afghanistan.

by Staff Writers
Warsaw (AFP) March 20, 2007
A senior US official Tuesday held talks with Polish authorities on Washington's contentious plan to construct part of an anti-missile defence system in central Europe, Poland's defence ministry said.

US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried met with Polish Defence Minister Aleksander Szczyglo in Warsaw, ministry spokesman Jaroslaw Rybak said.

"It was a working meeting. The discussion covered the missions in Afghanistan and Iraq and aspects of the deployment of parts of the anti-missile shield in Europe," Rybak told AFP, without elaborating.

"The meeting was held at the request of the American side," he said.

The United States wants to base 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and install a powerful radar in the Czech Republic -- components of a larger anti-missile system that Washington says is meant to guard against threats from "rogue" states such as Iran.

Parts of the shield are already in place in the United States, Britain and Greenland, and the plan is to have the system operational by 2011-2012.

Moscow has protested against the construction of a defence system on its doorstep and has warned it could aim missiles at Poland and the Czech Republic if they allow parts of the shield on their soil.

US officials insist that the system poses no threat to Russia.

Several powerful European countries, notably Germany, have urged Washington to do more to address Moscow's concerns.

A recent opinion poll in Poland found that 51 percent of those surveyed opposed the plan to base the shield in their country, while 30 percent were in favour.

Two-thirds of respondents said they wanted a national referendum on the issue.

The missile plan has also sparked widespread opposition in the Czech Republic.

Both Poland and the Czech Republic have become staunch US allies since the collapse of the communist bloc in 1989. The two countries joined NATO in 1999.

Poland is one of the leading contributors of troops to the US-led operation in Iraq as well as NATO's security force in Afghanistan.

Source: Agence France-Presse

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MISSILE DEFENSE

US Missile Plans Accelerate Defence Shield Debate At NATO

Brussels (AFP) March 15, 2007
US plans to install part of a missile shield in Europe, despite Russian hostility, have accelerated debate at NATO about developing a similar system, alliance diplomats say.

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