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US, Poland Ignore Russian Threats WARSAW, Poland, July 24--Poland and US remain undeterred by Russian opposition to Washington's plans to build a missile defense system in eastern Europe, the chief Polish negotiator said Tuesday. Deputy Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said Russia had shown a determination to block the project, most recently by suspending its participation in a key European arms control treaty. In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Waszczykowski said the Polish President Lech Kaczynski and US President George W. Bush discussed their concerns over Russia's move during their meeting in Washington last week and resolved not to...

Polish president tours missile defense system in California ASSOCIATED PRESS 10:30 p.m. July 17, 2007 VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE – Polish President Lech Kaczynski got a firsthand look Tuesday at a missile defense system similar to one the United State plans for construction in his own country. Kaczynski toured an underground missile-defense facility during a two-hour visit to Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County. He said he hopes for cooperation between his country and the U.S. on plans for a missile defense shield in Europe. “This (missile) defense cooperation is extremely important,” Kaczynski said through an interpreter. “Although...

Poland could turn down US missile shield - minister Jun 1, 2007, 14:51 GMT Warsaw - Poland could turn down a United States proposal to deploy an anti-ballistic missile shield on its territory should it find the terms of the deal unacceptable, Poland's defence minister said Friday. 'If the American conditions will be unacceptable - there won't be a shield,' Minister Aleksander Szczyglo said, quoted by Poland's PAP news agency. 'It is not the case that this is a foregone conclusion that the shield will be installed regardless of the outcome of the negotiations,' he said. 'Our American friends must...

Poland, U.S. begin formal talks on missile defense The Associated Press Published: May 14, 2007 WARSAW, Poland: Poland and the United States opened formal talks Monday on Washington's contentious request to place part of a new missile defense system in the eastern European nation. Robert Loftis, the State Department's senior adviser for security negotiations and agreements, met with two members of Poland's conservative government, which has signalled interest in hosting a U.S. site. But Warsaw must also contend with Russian threats that doing so would spark a new arms race. Some government members have said they would agree to the...

And You Thought the Cold War Was Gone For Good? Conn Hallinan | May 11, 2007 Editor: Miriam Pemberton The current brouhaha over a U.S. plan to deploy anti-ballistic missiles (ABM) in Poland has nothing to do with a fear that Iran will attack Europe or the U.S. with nuclear tipped Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM). It has a great deal to do with the Bush Administration's efforts to neutralize Russia's and China's nuclear deterrents and edge both countries out of Central Asia. The plan calls for deploying 10 ABMs in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic, supposedly...

Polish PM says U.S. missile defense system helpful for Europe Polish Prime Minister Jaroslav Kaczynski said Friday that a U.S. missile defense plan in Poland and the Czech Republic would benefit Europe, according to press reports reaching Prague. Kaczynski told reporters after holding talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Slovakian capital Bratislava that he is convinced the missile defense shield "will have great use for the whole of Europe." The missile system, including a radar base in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland, "would be no threat to our eastern neighbors, particularly Russia," he added....

Czech Republic to want security guarantees in exchange for US radar Apr 27, 2007, 15:43 GMT Prague - The Czech Republic will want security guarantees in exchange for hosting a radar base for the planned US anti-missile shield, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said in an interview published Friday. 'Stronger cooperation between the United States and the Czech Republic in research and on some projects, or an exchange of intelligence information,' he listed what these could be in a report by the Hospodarske noviny daily. The minister's statements mark a shift in the Czech government's rhetoric. Until now Czech officials...

In the trenches of the new cold war By M K Bhadrakumar Curiously, it had to be on the fateful day when Russia had begun brooding over former president Boris Yeltsin's final, ambivalent legacy that US Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived on his first official visit to Moscow. Hardly had Yeltsin, archetypal symbol of post-Soviet Russia's "Westernism", departed than Gates, one of spymaster John le Carre's "Smiley's people", arrived on a mission to let the Kremlin know that no matter Russian sensitivities, Washington was going ahead with its deployment of missile-defense systems along Russia's borders. Gates reminded the Russians how...

Russia to put missile defense elements in embassies - commander 19:41 | 19/ 03/ 2007 MOSCOW, March 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia could place space monitoring radars on the territory of its embassies in several countries to track the launches of ballistic missiles abroad, the commander of Space Forces said in an interview. The Russian leadership has earlier blasted U.S. plans to deploy anti-missile systems in Central Europe as a national security threat and pledged to take adequate measures to counter the U.S. move. Commander of Russia's Space Forces Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin said in an interview with the Space...

Russia flexes its muscles Recent statements by Russian officials have taken an ominous tone. In one speech, President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of trying to impose its will on the world, while other leaders warn that American plans to install missile defenses in Europe will force Russia to target the host countries in the event of war. These comments reflect Moscow's frustration over what it perceives as U.S. failure to consider its interests when making policy and a new confidence about its place in the world. Russia is flexing its muscles, but it is also worried about a...

Poland: Russia Can't Be Serious About Polish Missile Defense System Installation Warsaw, Poland 3 March 2007 The Russian's can't be serious about their objections to Poland installing part of the US missile defense system on Polish soil. The objections getting press are groundless and they know it. Russia is just playing games with the press. They are worried about something else. The missile defense system uses missiles that attack incoming threats. It does not chase missiles that are outgoing. It impacts incoming missiles. Russian missiles launched against the US would not be incoming for missiles in Poland. So be it...

Poland expects U.S. military help to improve security in return for missile defense deployment WARSAW. FEBRUARY 27. INTERFAX CENTRAL EUROPE - Poland is likely to agree to deployment of elements of the United States' missile defense program in Poland if this improves the country's military security, Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski suggested Tuesday. The prime minister held a meeting on the issue with United States Ambassador Victor Ash late Monday. During the meeting, he said, he informed the American diplomat of his opinion on the matter. “There are certain threats against Poland that will probably be executed and Poland has...

Russian Threat Convinces Poland and the Czech Republic // Eastern Europe Opens Its Doors to US Missile Defense System Washington has again confirmed its desire to establish bases in Eastern Europe as part of its missile defense system. In response, the Russian military has threatened to aim rockets at US facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic. American officials insist that the missile defense system is necessary for defense against Iran and North Korea, but Washington's plans are attracting criticism not only from Moscow but from Berlin and London as well. In Poland and the Czech Republic, however, threatening rumblings...

Poland: Russia's Sign Of Weakness On Polish Missile Base Warsaw, Poland February 25, 2007. Russia's objection to Poland putting missiles on Polish soil as part of the US missile shield shows either a military or character weakness. The Russians more likely fear not being feared by Poland more than they fear what a paltry 10 missle's could do to the overall Russian missile might. If 10 missle's on Polish soil could have any real effect of a launch of Russian missiles against the US, then the Russian missile system is in sad shape. The Russians surely know that it would...

Poland, Czech Republic stand up to the bear By Boston Herald editorial staff Sunday, February 25, 2007 Two countries that have suffered more than most from the embrace of the Russian bear are the Czech Republic and Poland. It is gratifying to see their leaders refusing to be bullied by Moscow out of an important defense agreement with the United States. The Czechs and the Poles have agreed to host anti-missile installations to guard against possible attacks from Iran. The plan calls for 10 interceptor missiles to be based in Poland and their radar guidance system in the Czech Republic....

America to Dispose its Missiles in Ukraine? 24.02.2007 13:56 The architecture of Missile Defense System of the United States may extend beyond the territories of Poland and Czechia. This according to official representative of the US Department of State Sean McCormack. “The fact the systems are potentially disposed in Czechia and Poland does not mean the architecture of Missile Defense System cannot change and evolve into some other directions due to collaboration agreements.” “We are working over this with a number of countries,” added Mr. McCormack yet declining to go into details. He reminded these days the administration of President...

Britain lobbying to be considered as site of U.S. anti-missile system Britain lobbying to be considered as site of U.S. anti-missile system LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair is lobbying the United States to consider locating part of its anti-missile system in Britain, his office said Friday. The United States has also announced discussions with Poland and the Czech Republic about building parts of the missile defense infrastructure in those countries. "We have certainly been engaged in conversations with the U.S. about this," said a spokesman for Blair, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The objective of these conversations was to...

Russian missile 'blackmail' won't work, Czechs say REUTERS 5:35 a.m. February 20, 2007 WARSAW – The Czech Republic said on Tuesday it would not be intimidated by Russia over plans to site parts of a U.S. missile defence system on its territory and said attempts at 'blackmail' by Moscow would backfire. Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said threats by Russian officials over the plans, which would involve placing a radar system on Czech land and a missile battery in Poland, would only make Czechs more determined to defend themselves. Russia's strategic forces commander, General Nikolai Solovtsov, said on Monday that...

Russian opposition to a U.S. proposal to build a missile defense system in Poland stems from Moscow's hopes to regain influence over its former satellite, Poland's prime minister said today. The comments by Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski came a day after a Russian general warned that Poland and the Czech Republic risk being targeted by Russian missiles if they agree to host U.S. missile defense bases. "To make it clear -- this is not about Russian security; these installations do not in any way threaten Russia," Mr. Kaczynski said on state Radio 1. "It's about the status of Poland, and...

Poland needs U.S. base to cede from Russian influence - PM 16:03 | 20/ 02/ 2007 WARSAW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - The deployment of a U.S. anti-missile base in Poland will guarantee that Warsaw will no longer be under Russia's sphere of influence, the Polish prime minister said Tuesday. The governments of Poland and the Czech Republic reaffirmed Monday their readiness to allow the United States to base elements of its missile shield on their territories. "We are talking about the status of Poland and about Russia's hopes that Poland will once again come under its [Moscow's] sphere of...