Bush and Kaczyński talk missiles

George W Bush met with Polish President Lech Kaczyński during his visit to Poland last Friday. This was the American President's third trip to Poland, following visits in 2001 and 2003. The brief meeting of the Presidents, held at Kaczyński's seaside presidential retreat on the Hel Peninsula, was dominated by talk of the controversial anti-missile shield, which the US wants to build on Polish and Czech land.

In addition to a meeting between the two sides' diplomatic cadres, the Presidents sat down together in private. The talks lasted longer than expected and, as WBJ went to press, the official press conference had yet to begin.

The whole debate over the anti-missile system had been turned on its ear by a surprising proposal by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, the day before Bush's visit to Poland. At a G8 meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany, Putin offered the Americans the Gabali Radar Station in Azerbaijan as a location to install part of the anti-missile system. The offer came as a surprise, since Russia is considered the fiercest opponent of the system. Although no binding response was given, Bush referred to the proposal as an "interesting suggestion."

As in many other places, George Bush's visit to Poland met with a harsh criticism of certain groups. On Friday, members and supporters of various leftist parties, including Nowa Lewica (the New Left), and Zieloni 2004 (Greens 2004), demonstrated their discontent with the American president's policy in the town of Jurata on the Hel Peninsula.