NEWS

Poland and the United States on Wednesday signed a long troubled deal that would provide for the placement of 10 U.S. missile interceptors on Polish soil. Although the U.S. repeatedly assured Russia that the move was not meant against it, but rather against "rogue states", some details indicate that Russia's doubts could be justified, at least partly.

The pact was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Wednesday. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the talks as "tough but friendly" and added that if the agreement comes into force (Poland's parliament must first ratify the plan) his country will be more secure.

The United States was forced to provide many extra add-ons to clinch the deal, which the American side had been initially opposed to. But after the Polish side replaced its main negotiator last week, and foreign minister Sikorsky personally handled the talks, Poland received what it wanted: broader access to the missile facility and, more importantly, several batteries of the U.S. Patriot anti-missile complexes.

Polish newspapers said the replacement of Poland's negotiator reflected the political strife between the president and the prime minister, both possible contenders in the upcoming presidential elections.

Others claimed the agreement was sealed following the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Georgia.

On August 9th, Russia sent troops into Georgia after Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili ordered a massive attack against the breakaway republic of South Ossetia, violating the peace agreements guaranteed by the Com­monwealth of the Independent states and killing scores of civilians, many of whom were Russian citizens.  Twelve Russian peacekeepers were killed in the pre-dawn attacks.

However, many Western media portrayed the conflict as a Russian invasion, and this seemed to stoke the fires of anxiety in Eastern Europe. One opinion poll in Poland, for example, claimed that public support for stationing the U.S. missile defense site grew from about 30 percent to 50 percent.

Insiders say the Polish negotiators reportedly used the Georgian conflict as an argument in bargaining with their American counterparts.

The U.S. claims that the missile defense system, made up of 10 interceptor rockets in Poland, and a radar installation in the neighboring Czech Republic, will be used to defend against attacks against the so-called rogue states, such as Iran. However, the missile interceptors are effective only against short-range ballistic missiles, and there are no rogue states within short range of Poland.

The Russian border, on the other hand, is just 180 kilometers from the planned site of the installation. 

The Russians argue that the deployment of a missile defense threatens the global security and could trigger a new arms race. Russia's military warned that they will be forced to target countries that host the components of the missile system for possible retaliatory nuclear strike, and even hinted on the possibility of preemptive strikes.

Russia did not hide its dissatisfaction with the Wednesday signing. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement that read, "The deployment of the third site in Europe with genuine anti-Russian potential by no means enhances security on the continent... Such measures provoke mistrust and prompt an arms race on the continent and beyond its borders." Prime Mi­nister Vladimir Putin warned of the dangers of turning Europe into a "powder keg."

Meanwhile, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Belarus counterpart Alexander Lukashenko signed an agreement on Tuesday on a treaty for countering U.S. missile defense as early as this fall.

Patriot complexes are used to intercept short and medium range ballistic missiles and showed their worth in the Middle East where they were used to protect coalition forces and Israel against Iraqi Scuds. 

By Kirill Bessonov