New Polish defense minister seeks US security assistance

The new Polish defense minister is seeking security aid from Washington in exchange for hosting US missile defense interceptors, despite Russian objections, in a meeting with his US counterpart yesterday.

Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich also intends to discuss the withdrawal of Poland's troops from Iraq, which the government of new Prime Minister Donald Tusk plans to complete by the end of October.

In his first visit to Washington as defense minister, Klich met senior US State Department officials, including US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, on Monday, ahead of his meeting with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Tusk's government has appeared more skeptical toward the planned missile defense shield than did its predecessor. Former prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski opened talks with the US early last year and firmly supported the plan.

In remarks published on Saturday, Klich said that Washington needs to provide more security for Poland if it wants the country to accept 10 interceptor missiles. He said it would be "very difficult" to convince Poles to support the program without additional security measures.

Klich said last week that he would press the US to strengthen Poland's short and mid-range air defenses -- in the form of Patriot or THAAD missiles -- as part of a deal.

The proposed missile defense site has angered Russia, which says an installation so close to its border threatens its security and has warned that its missiles could target the base in Poland. The plan also calls for a radar base in the neighboring Czech Republic.

Tusk's government has decided to withdraw Poland's remaining 900 troops from Iraq by the end of October, ending a five-year mission.

It also plans to send an additional 400 troops to Afghanistan this spring, raising the Polish contingent there to 1,600. Klich is calling for the Polish troops -- scattered across Afghanistan -- to be based in a single province.