The US and Poland have reached an agreement that will see sections of the American missile defence system based in the former Eastern Bloc nation, according to officials from both countries. Poland's deputy foreign minister, Witold Waszcykowski has said that he had completed negotiations with US negotiator John Rood on the matter on Tuesday (1 July), according to the AP. The US defence system looks set to have 10 interceptor missiles based in Poland Officials from the Bush administration confirmed the conclusion of the deal, but remained nameless as the deal must still be approved by the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk. The US wants 10 interceptor missiles to be based on Polish territory. Washington says the system is necessary for defence against possible nuclear attacks from Iran. Russia however, which is steadfastly opposed to a US missile defence being based in EU countries, argues that the system is targeted at itself, and diminishes its nuclear deterrent.
The US and Poland have reached an agreement that will see sections of the American missile defence system based in the former Eastern Bloc nation, according to officials from both countries.
Poland's deputy foreign minister, Witold Waszcykowski has said that he had completed negotiations with US negotiator John Rood on the matter on Tuesday (1 July), according to the AP.
The US defence system looks set to have 10 interceptor missiles based in Poland
Officials from the Bush administration confirmed the conclusion of the deal, but remained nameless as the deal must still be approved by the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk.
The US wants 10 interceptor missiles to be based on Polish territory. Washington says the system is necessary for defence against possible nuclear attacks from Iran. Russia however, which is steadfastly opposed to a US missile defence being based in EU countries, argues that the system is targeted at itself, and diminishes its nuclear deterrent.
Negotiations between Poland and the United States over the location of the proposed missile defense shield will continue, despite reports suggesting an agreement had already been reached. After a senior US State Department official stated on Wednesday, July 2, that a "tentative agreement" had been reached after two days of talks between Polish and US officials, Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich revealed that no consensus has been reached on plans to station the US missile shield in Poland. "The negotiations have not ended -- another round of talks was concluded -- for the time being we are not at the finish line," Klich told Poland's private Radio Zet. "We completed an important, a significant, round of talks two days ago but the finish line of talks is still ahead of us," he said, adding that "July is a long month." Daniel Fried, the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs and a former ambassador to Poland, told reporters that the last round of talks between the US and Poland had made real progress but refused to confirm that an agreement had been reached.
After a senior US State Department official stated on Wednesday, July 2, that a "tentative agreement" had been reached after two days of talks between Polish and US officials, Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich revealed that no consensus has been reached on plans to station the US missile shield in Poland.
"The negotiations have not ended -- another round of talks was concluded -- for the time being we are not at the finish line," Klich told Poland's private Radio Zet. "We completed an important, a significant, round of talks two days ago but the finish line of talks is still ahead of us," he said, adding that "July is a long month."
Daniel Fried, the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs and a former ambassador to Poland, told reporters that the last round of talks between the US and Poland had made real progress but refused to confirm that an agreement had been reached.
