Poland urges US live up to missile shield commitments
BELGIUM Poland urged the United States Sunday to live up to past
commitments on missile defence as Washington reviews plans to expand its
system into Europe, including basing interceptors in Poland.
But US Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, touted for a top arms control
post in the new US administration, said it was more important to counter
the real threat from short- and medium-range missiles, while the review
takes place.
“We hope we don’t regret our trust in the United States,” Polish
Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at the Brussels Forum conference
to an audience of senior world politicians and experts.
Russia was enraged by the US missile plans — which the last
administration under George W. Bush said was needed to counter a threat
from Iran — but has welcomed the review ordered by President Barack
Obama.
“When we started discussing this business with the United States, the
US assured us that they would persuade Russia,” Sikorski said.
“I am afraid Russian generals and even the Russian president continue
to threaten us with the deployment of medium-range missiles,” he said.
The United States has been negotiating with Poland and the Czech
Republic to install 10 missile interceptors, which would not carry
explosive warheads, and a radar system on their territories to expand
its shield into Europe.
Russia sees the system, initially meant to be in operation by 2013,
as a threat to its security, but Washington denies this and has even
struggled to bring Moscow on-board with the system.
Russia had threatened to deploy Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad, a
Russian exclave wedged between NATO and EU members Poland and Lithuania,
if Washington did not halt the planned extensions.
But it was assuaged by Obama’s decision to order a review of the
multi-billion dollar project to see whether it is still technically
feasible and cost effective. The time needed to conduct it is unclear.
Obama has also offered Tehran a “new beginning” to turn back the tide
on decades of mutual distrust.
Brussels, Monday, AFP
|
