Warsaw seeks shelter of 'son of Star Wars'

Warsaw seeks shelter of 'son of Star Wars'

Ian Traynor, central Europe correspondent
Wednesday November 16, 2005
The Guardian


Poland's new centre-right government has signalled its eagerness to become the key European partner for the Bush administration's controversial "son of Star Wars" missile defence shield. Less than a week after winning a vote of confidence in the Polish parliament, the new prime minister, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, said the Polish authorities were discussing the plans with Washington.

"This is an important issue for Poland, related to our security and to our cooperation with an important ally," Mr Marcinkiewicz said.


His party, the staunchly conservative and pro-American Law and Justice party headed by twins Jaroslaw and Lech Kaczynski, last week declared Poland wanted to take part in the missile defence project. "We want Poland to come under the American anti-missile shield," the government programme stated.

Mr Marcinkiewicz confirmed a Guardian report from last year that Warsaw and Washington have been negotiating on the issue, but the prime minister's public advocacy of Polish participation raised the stakes. The prime minister told journalists in Warsaw he wanted a national debate on the plans.

Pentagon officials had been scouting the mountainous territory of southern Poland, pinpointing suitable sites for two or three radar stations connected to the son of Star Wars programme.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1643499,00.html