Russia Warns Poland

Via RFE/RL:

October 3, 2006 — Russia has warned Poland against hosting U.S.or NATO missile-defense sites on its territory.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said it could undermine “strategic stability, regional security and relations between Russia and Poland.”

He said Russia would have to take unspecified measures in response and could not rely solely on assurances that a planned U.S. or NATO missile-defense system in Europe would not be directed against Russia.

Kamynin said the issue would be discussed during Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Poland on October 4-5.

The United States has been considering Poland or the Czech Republic for its planned missile-defense system in Eastern Europe.

U.S. officials say the site would be designed to defend the United States and its allies in Europe from ballistic missiles launched from states such as North Korea or Iran.

(Interfax, AP, AFP)