Poland’s decision on July 4 to reject Washington’s latest offer to allow the stationing of elements of an anti-missile shield in that country is not only another European slap in the face for President Bush – it has triggered a political flap in Poland, with the opposition charging the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk of taking orders from Moscow. According to Polish Prime Minister Tusk, U.S. security guarantees – especially a lack of permanently-stationed Patriot Missile batteries – render Washington’s offer ‘unsatisfactory.’
A few quotes from this write-through from Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza illustrate the controversy:
“We appreciate the issue and want to participate in the global security system – including the security of the United States – but I’m primarily responsible for the security of Poland and Poland’s citizens … This can’t be done by crossing our fingers behind our backs and pretending that there is security, when in reality it isn’t there.”
— Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk
“It’s been nineteen years since the fall of communism, and Russia still dictates what happens in Poland.”
— Opposition MP Przemyslaw Gosiewski
By Bartosz W?glarczyk and Pawe? Wro?ski
Translated By Halszka Czarnocka
July 4, 2008
Poland – Gazeta Wyborcza – Original Article (Polish)
Too little – is how Prime Minister Donald Tusk summed up the latest American offer for installing an anti-missile shield in Poland. During yesterday’s press conference [July 3], Tusk stressed that the key element in assessing the U.S. proposal was and remains improving Poland’s national security.
“We appreciate the issue and want to participate in the global security system – including the security of the United States – but I’m primarily responsible for the security of Poland and Poland’s citizens,” the Prime Minister said.
He reminded those present that Poland sees the United States as its most important ally and friend, and that we didn’t refuse assistance to the Americans with its missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In his opinion, however, the ant-missile shield has greater implications since it concerns Polish territory. That is why he has concluded that the American offer is “unsatisfactory.”
During the press conference, Tusk said he would agree to accept the shield after obtaining “permanent security guarantees” that account for our geographic location [vicinity to Russia] and tragic historical experiences [reference to World War II, when Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany from the West and Soviet Russia from the East]. The second condition is, “anti-aircraft defenses that aren’t temporary – but permanent.” What’s it all about?
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the ongoing controversy over the U.S. anti-missile shield.
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