The FINANCIAL — According to RIA Novosti, Russia will not pressure Poland over its intention to host U.S. missile shield elements, although Moscow is still concerned over the plans, the Russian foreign minister said on January 21.
The United States is planning to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic as part of its European missile shield, to avert possible strikes from "rogue" states, such as Iran and North Korea.
"We are not going to put any pressure on Poland or other participants in the negotiations on the formation of the Third [missile defense] Site but we want our concerns… to be heard and understood," Sergei Lavrov said during a meeting with his Polish counterpart.
Lavrov told Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski that Moscow values Poland's readiness to hold consultations with Russia on the issue of the missile shield deployment.
He said Moscow understands that Warsaw will take into account its national security interests first and foremost when making a decision on the missile shield.
"At the same time I expressed my hope that Poland will also take into account European security interests and Mr. Sikorski confirmed this," Lavrov said.
The Polish foreign minister, who is currently on an official visit to Moscow, said in turn that the decision would only be made between the United States and Poland.
"But we acknowledge the facts," Sikorski said adding that Poland, unlike Russia, does not have nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
Moscow fiercely opposes the U.S. plans, saying the European shield would destroy the strategic balance and threaten Russia's national interests.
Two weeks ago Warsaw hosted the first Polish-Russian consultations on Washington's missile shield plans in Central Europe.
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