Poland To Tell U.S.`s Biden It Ready For Shield

Washington says the system will protect it and its European allies from terrorist attack and so-called `rogue` states, notably Iran.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he would tell U.S. Vice President Joe Biden when they meet in Munich on Saturday that Warsaw was ready to host parts of the U.S. missile shield system, as agreed in August. "I will definitely tell Vice President Biden tomorrow in Munich we are ready to participate in this project, a U.S. project," he told a news conference, referring to installing 10 ground-based interceptors as part of a global missile defence.

"When we agree something with our ally, we keep our promise," Tusk said.

Washington says the system will protect it and its European allies from terrorist attack and so-called 'rogue' states, notably Iran.

But new U.S. President Barack Obama has said he will review the project before making a final decision. Some media say Washington may consider scrapping the plan in a push to clinch a new arms control deal with Moscow and also to save money.

Biden will meet Tusk at the Munich Security Conference, where some political analysts say the new U.S. administration may give an indication of its position on missile defence.

Moscow fiercely opposes the missile shield project, viewing it as a threat to its own national security and said last year it would install short-range missiles in its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad bordering Poland in retaliation.

However, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov confirmed on Friday earlier reports saying Kremlin would not install Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad if the U.S. does not deploy shield in central Europe.