|
|
 |
U.S. Agrees to Polish Missile Terms
The “last chance” Polish-American negotiations on the American missile defense system ended in Warsaw yesterday. Local observers say that recent events in South Ossetia contributed significantly to the successful outcome of those negotiations, as Warsaw argued for the need to protect itself from possible Russian aggression. The final decision on the placement of ten interceptor missiles in northeastern Poland is to be made before the U.S. presidential elections.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announced the end of negotiations with U.S. State Department special representative John Rood by saying that the U.S. had changed its position. The details of the negotiations were not revealed. It is known, however, that Warsaw was demanding $20 billion and the delivery of Patriot missiles, the latest air defense weapons, in exchange for the placement of the missiles in Poland. The White House considered that an excessive price.
“Events in the Caucasus show that the demands put forward by us for guarantees of security are completely necessary,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented, “and, fortunately, Washington understood that.” Those demands had been a source of disagreement within the Polish leadership. Polish President Lech Kaczynski considered Warsaw’s demands too high and accused the prime minister of taking a “pro-Russian” position on the missiles. Moscow strongly opposes the placement of elements of U.S. missile defense in Eastern Europe.
www.kommersant.com
|
|
|
