Poland will answer US on missile shield "very soon", Kaczynski says

Jun 6, 2007, 15:23 GMT

Brussels - Polish President Lech Kaczynski on Wednesday said Warsaw would soon make up its mind about US plans to deploy missile interceptors in Poland, arguing that the defence system would not undermine security in Europe.

Kaczynski's comments came as US President George W Bush on Wednesday toned down sharp criticism of Russian opposition to the US missile defence plans as leaders of the world's key industrialized nations gathered for an annual summit in Germany.

'We will give our answer (to the US) very soon,' the Polish president said during a visit to NATO headquarters, adding that the 'principle of undivided security (must) be definitely upheld.'

A fierce war of words between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President George W Bush over Washington's planned deployment of elements of an anti-missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic, has prompted fears the two Cold War adversaries are headed for another era of political and military tensions.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the planned US missile shield should be linked with a NATO system to ensure the security 'of continental Europe and all allies, wherever they are.'

Stressing the 'principle of indivisibility of security' within the military alliance, De Hoop Scheffer said it was 'important that all allies are treated equal and that there are no A and B allies.'

Meanwhile, at the Group of Eight (G8) leaders in Heiligendamm, Germany, Bush said 'there needs to be no military response because we're not at war with Russia.'

'Russia is not an enemy,' the US leader said.

He also hinted that Putin's recent Cold War-style anti-Western comments were intended for domestic Russian consumption, especially in the run-up to next year's elections.

Bush said he intended to talk things over with Putin in upcoming meetings and would also question him on Russia's electoral process.

Putin warned earlier this week that Moscow would take 'retaliatory steps,' including the targeting of Russian missiles against Europe, if Washington pushed ahead with its missile defence plans.

His comments drew a strong response from Western countries and were described as 'unhelpful and unwelcome' by NATO.

The Russian leader has angrily shrugged off US insistence that the anti-missile shield is designed to protect Europe from attacks by so-called 'rogue states', including Iran and North Korea.

The Czech government agrees in principle with the US missile defence plans but is negotiating conditions, such as assurances that this is not directed at Russia and will not affect Czech sovereignty.