Top Polish official says missile shield deal soon

Warsaw: Poland and the United States may be nearing a breakthrough in talks to locate parts of a US anti-missile shield on Polish soil, Poland's deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying yesterday.

Witold Waszczykowski, who represents Poland in the talks, said a deal could be clinched within weeks after Washington signalled a compromise was possible on a Polish request for Patriot missiles or similar air protection to defend its cities. "I will try to finalise the text of the document within a few, maybe a dozen or so, weeks," Waszczykowski told the Dziennik daily.

"The Americans will promise that if a threat appears, they would give Poland the necessary equipment, including the Patriots (missiles)."

Another round of talks is due early next month.

Washington wants to place up to 10 ground-based interceptor missiles in northern Poland to protect against attacks from what it calls "rogue states" such as Iran and North Korea.