Polish MEP warns of imminent tensions with EU over US Patriot missiles
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, Jan 23, IRNA
Germany-Poland-US Missiles
Poland has to anticipate new tensions with the European Union, if Warsaw allows the deployment of an American anti-missile system on its territory, the online site of the German ARD television network cited a Polish member of the European Parliament as saying on Tuesday.
Ryszard Czarnecki of the Sambroona (Self-Defense) Party warned that the joint US-Polish missile plans are viewed as a direct snub of the European Union.
"The western European countries, especially Germany and France, are against this project. For Poland's political opponents, this will be another reason to say Poland is the Trojan horse of the US within Europe," Czarnecki said.
A staunch political ally of the US, Poland announced the start of exploratory talks on the possible stationing of US National Missile Defense (NMD) bases in the eastern European country within two weeks.
"The Americans are prepared to present a proposal to begin talks leading to a concrete agreement on building bases in Poland and the Czech Republic," Polish Deputy Foreign minister Wiltold Waszczykowski told the country's PAP news agency.
"We are waiting for this concrete proposal," he added.
According to earlier unconfirmed reports, Pentagon officials had already been scouting the Tatra mountains in southern Poland for possible missile base sites.
Meanwhile Poland's President Lech Kaczynski had voiced doubt over granting the US full sovereignty and diplomatic and legal jurisdiction over any eventual base locations in Poland.
In other related news, Polish Defense Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has stressed that America would have to give Poland security guarantees before deploying any missile sites on its soil.
Most Poles oppose the stationing of the US anti-missile system in their country, according to opinion polls.
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