Article Posted on : - Nov 19, 2008

File photo of a Patriot launch. Missile Defence Agency

WARSAW (BNS): The US Patriot missiles are all set to be deployed in Poland in 2009, despite Russia's opposition. Polish defence minister Bogdan Klich, who is on an official visit to Ukraine, was quoted as saying that the missiles will be in his country next year.

"Patriot missiles will be in Poland in 2009, at first temporarily and from 2012, permanently," RIA Novosti quoted Bogdan Klich as saying.

The assertion may not go down well with Moscow as it is planning to discuss the deployment of US Missile Defence Shield (MDS) in Europe with the Bush administration later this year. Kremlin has also articulated its desire to hold a more constructive dialogue with the Barack Obama administration on the issue.

The Bush administration is also planning to send a top functionary to Kremlin to allay apprehensions. Russia had given a proposal for its own missile shield but Washington had rejected it. Even Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was opposed to it saying there was no role for a third country in the US-Poland agreement.

The US and Poland in August had signed a pact for the deployment of 10 interceptor missiles. In a similar agreement with the Czech Republic the US has plans to station its radar for providing missile shield in Central Europe.

For Warsaw to turn into an interceptor base, deployment of the Patriot missiles was crucial. Kremlin is opposed to the move saying it was against its national security. But the US insists the missile defence is a protection against the "rogue states".

Russia has support from France after president Nicolas Sarkozy sounded opposition to the US missile shield in Europe. All eyes are on the president-elect Barack Obama who will be in command of the US affairs from January 20.

While Obama favours the idea of providing missile shields to friends of the US to protect them from rogue states, he remains non-committal on the deployment of missile shield in Europe.