Poland closer on missile shield

POLAND’S prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said yesterday that his country had moved closer to hosting a US missile defence facility after President George Bush’s visit last week, according to Associated Press reports.

Mr Bush held talks on Friday with President Lech Kaczynski, the prime minister’s twin brother, on plans to base 10 missile interceptors in the country.

Asked whether Poland was now closer to hosting the facility, Jaroslaw Kaczynski said on state Radio 1: “Yes, closer. There was talk of an honest agreement and I hope that it will be reached.”

He underlined Poland’s insistence that any deal must enhance the country’s own security — including in “military and military-political” matters.

He said Russian president Vladimir Putin was “playing a game” with his counterproposal to anchor the missile defence system around a Soviet-era radar installation in Azerbaijan.