Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (1957- ). Mr Tusk is a member of the Kashubian minority nationality.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is sceptical that the American anti-missile defence system planned to operate from Polish bases will increase Poland’s security. But, he would like the United States to do much more for the modernisation of the Polish armed forces. Prime Minister Tusk said this whilst speaking in Warsaw Tuesday in the run-up to a forthcoming visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Secretary Rice is arriving in Europe for the conclusion of formal anti-missile defence agreements with Poland and the Czech Republic.
Judging by what the media and Czech and Polish policymakers say, this turn of developments will really take place. That goes for Prague which has already voiced acceptance of the American plans. But, judging by what the Polish Prime Minister said, the Polish signature under a framework agreement with the United States will not be the end to the negotiating process. In other words, the haggling will go on. The Americans indicated that they can deploy their missiles in Lithuania, not necessarily in Poland. But, Poland insists on American support of its efforts to upgrade its armed forces and on the delivery of US-made Patriot and other missile systems.
Poles and Czechs alike take a negative view of the American military presence. It is already clear that neither Poland nor the Czech Republic nor the rest of Europe will feel safer after the deployment of elements of American anti-missile defence system. That has repeatedly been emphasised by Moscow which sees this as a threatening move. Moves to meet the American plans will translate into a real step toward the creation of a global system of anti-missile defence. They will upset the balance of strategic military forces. President Dmitri Medvedev repeatedly said that continental security is indivisible and cannot be insured at the expense of national interests. That is why Moscow repeatedly invited the United States of America, Europe, and other interested parties to launch collective action in this field. Its invitation is holding, with Washington and Warsaw haggling over the price of the American of anti-missile defence system.
2 July 2008
Viktor Yenikeyev
Voice of Russia World Service
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29146&cid=58&p=02.07.2008 (in English)
