Russia warns Poland over US anti-missile shield

"We know what to do if our proposals are not accepted. If the offer is accepted however, we will not have to locate missiles in the Western part of the country, in particular in Kaliningrad," said Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Syergey Ivanov. Experts have no doubt that this was a warning directed at Poland, as in line with international treaties Russia can only place short-range missiles in Kaliningrad. "The threat will not concern the USA, but Poland, as missiles from Kaliningrad will not reach the USA," said former Polish defense minister Radosław Sikorski. He stressed that the announcement must have been discussed with the Russian President and it proves that the Bush-Putin summit ended in a fiasco. "If the Americans agreed to the terms of Russia, this would mean that nobody can do anything without the consent of Russia in this part of Europe," said Polish Defense Minister Aleksander Szczygło. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, A6; Gazeta Wyborcza, pp. 1, 9; Fakt, p. 24) M.M.