http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-22/russia-seeks-explanation-of-u-s-missiles-in-poland-update2-.html
Bloomberg News January 22, 2010 Russia Seeks Explanation of U.S. Missiles in Poland By Patrick Henry and Chris Kirkham Russia is seeking an explanation of U.S. plans to deploy Patriot missiles in Poland near its border with Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. Poland’s Defense Ministry on Jan. 20 said the northern city of Morag, about 70 kilometers (44 miles) from the border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region, had been selected for the deployment of the missiles. “I don’t have full information, but if it’s correct, the question arises about the need to do something to create the impression that Poland is fortifying itself against Russia,” Lavrov told reporters in Moscow today. “That’s what I don’t understand. We’re counting on receiving an explanation and then we’ll analyze the situation.” Kaliningrad, a Baltic Sea exclave wedged between Poland and Lithuania, has been at the center of U.S.-Russian missile tensions before. Hours after U.S. President Barack Obama was elected in November 2008, his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, threatened to deploy short-range Iskander missiles in the region if the U.S. pressed ahead with plans for a missile shield in Europe, including interceptor missiles in Poland. Obama abandoned the missile-defense plan, championed by his predecessor George W. Bush, in September 2009, a move hailed by Medvedev as “responsible.” Nuclear Arms Treaty The two countries are negotiating a new agreement to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Talks will resume in early February, Interfax reported today, citing Lavrov. Negotiators may complete work on the agreement before April, John Beyrle, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, said on Jan. 20. Russia’s Defense Ministry yesterday denied having plans to strengthen its Baltic Fleet to counter U.S. missiles in Poland, Interfax reported, citing an unidentified official. State-run RIA Novosti earlier reported the plans, citing an unidentified navy official. ...Polish Defense Ministry spokesman Bogdan Klich said...the first missiles may arrive in late March or early April, PAP newswire reported on Jan. 20. Air-Defense Missiles The U.S. and Poland on Dec. 11 signed an agreement on the status of American troops on Polish territory, clearing the last obstacle to their deployment. The Polish government had pressed the U.S. to honor an agreement signed with the Bush administration for the delivery of a battery of Patriot air-defense missiles after Obama scrapped the missile-shield plan. Under the initial accord, American troops would be located on a U.S. base in Poland to maintain the Patriot missiles. Obama later invited Poland to participate in U.S. plans to develop a new system aimed at reducing the threat of short- and medium-range missile attacks from so-called rogue states like Iran. Poland, the largest of Central Europe’s former Soviet satellite states, joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1999. =========================== Stop NATO http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato Blog site: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/ To subscribe, send an e-mail to: rwroz...@yahoo.com or stopnato-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Daily digest option available. ==============================
