Poland, U.S. Close to Missile Defense Deal

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said yesterday that his nation as early as next month could agree to house 10 U.S. missile interceptors, Reuters reported (see GSN, Jan. 16).

The deal is likely to come when new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visits Washington to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush, Sikorski said.

The Tusk government has said that any agreement must improve its security and has sought to receive U.S. short- and medium-range air defenses as part of the package.

The U.S. plan for European missile defenses also calls for placing a radar base in the Czech Republic.

Russia has objected strongly to the Bush administration proposal.  However, as Moscow and Warsaw attempt to repair strained relations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledged Monday that his government would not pressure Poland to refrain from participating in the missile shield (Reuters/Moscow Times, Jan. 23).

The Czech government has no set schedule for finalizing negotiations on the radar, the Xinhua News Agency reported today.

“Negotiations … are progressing, but it can by no means be said when they will be completed.  The Czech Republic has itself set no deadline,” said Defense Ministry spokesman Andrej Cirtek (Xinhua News Agency I, Jan. 23).

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said yesterday that he hoped the European missile shield would be extended to cover his nation, Xinhua reported.

The system is not expected to provide protection for Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Turkey, Czech Ambassador to NATO Stefan Fuele said last year.

The U.S. plan is expected to be a primary topic of discussion at an April NATO summit in Bucharest.  Participants are expected to discuss development of NATO missile defenses and how they might be connected to the U.S. system, according to Czech diplomats (Xinhua News Agency II, Jan. 23).

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