USA Refuses to Deploy ABM Units in Czechia and Poland

17.09.2009 15:40

According to the European mass media’s information, this night a telephone call took place between the US President Barack Obama and the Czech premier Jan Fisher, during which Barack Obama informed Fisher of Washington’s decision to refuse to deploy an American ABM radar station in Czechia. Head of the Czech government confirmed that the USA had informed him about it.

It is to be expected that today, on September 17, the head of the U.S. Department of Defense Robert M. Gates will hold a special press conference on this subject where he will officially declare the US new plans of the ABM treaty’s elements deployment in Europe.

According to President Obama's top military adviser, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen, the U.S. President's Administration is “very close” to completion of the seven-month analysis of all the aspects of ABM in Europe. As regards plans of ABM units deployment in Poland (as is known, the Pentagon had planned to put 10 interceptor missiles on combat duty by 2013 in Poland), representatives of Obama’s Administration have conducted negotiations today on this subject in Warsaw with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslav Sikorsky. Further to the negotiations the Polish foreign department representative has already said that Barack Obama’s speech will begin at 17:00 Moscow time, where he will officially declare the US refusal to deploy ABM in Poland.

According to observers, Washington is ready to make Moscow essential concessions, having adopted a new compromise plan of the ABM elements deployment in Europe, excluding points causing an irritation of the Russian party.

The Russian MFA, on its part, is so far waiting for an official confirmation from Washington concerning refusal to deploy an ABM radar station in Czechia, noting that if such a decision is really made, “then this is a positive fact meeting the interests of the Russia-American relations development.”