Poland rejects US missile shield offer

Source: CCTV.com | 07-05-2008 10:29

Poland has rejected as insufficient a US offer to boost its air defenses in return for basing a missile defense shield on its territory. But Warsaw says it remains open for further talks with Washington.

Poland's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, said there has been no result which would satisfy his country in the key matter of security. He made this remark on Friday after studying the U.S. proposal.

Washington wants to place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a tracking radar in the Czech Republic.

In the negotiations, Tusk's center-right government has sought billions of dollars worth of US investment to upgrade air defenses in return for hosting the interceptors.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, "If there are real threats appearing in relation to the anti-missile shield and it cannot cope with all of these threats, there is a need for additional measures, also technical like the Patriot missiles, to be permanently on Polish territory. A temporary visitation of these weapons guaranteed only for one year obviously does not raise our sense of security."

Tusk also added the problem is not a question of money.

Some political analysts say his rebuff to Washington has demonstrated a new Polish self-confidence on the global stage.

Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, a right-wing opponent of the Tusk government and a strong supporter of the missile shield plan, is now likely to step up his attacks on the government.

Russia has condemned the missile defense plan as a threat to its own security, and has said it will target missiles at Poland and the Czech Republic if the deployment goes ahead.

Editor:Zhang Ning