POLISH AND Czech leaders insisted yesterday that their countries’ security would not be compromised by President Barack Obama’s decision to scrap plans for a missile defence system in central Europe, as their Soviet-era master Moscow hailed the move as a diplomatic triumph.
Mr Obama informed Polish premier Donald Tusk and Czech counterpart Jan Fischer by telephone that he was dropping plans to build a long-range radar in the Czech Republic and an interceptor rocket base in Poland, as part of a project that failed to win great public support in either country.
America’s partisan divide was evident in the reaction yesterday to the decision. Conservatives believed the shield was necessary for the security of the US, eastern Europe and Israel, while liberals viewed it as an unproven and expensive legacy of the Cold War that risked sparking an arms race.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, called Mr Obama’s decision “brilliant” and praised him for correctly assessing the threat from Iran, technological developments and the effect on relations with Nato and Russia.
Republicans were unanimous in their condemnation. Calling the decision “both shortsighted and harmful to our long-term security interests,” Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, criticised Mr Obama for leaving the Czech Republic and Poland in the lurch.
While advocates had said the system would enhance Polish and Czech security and relations with Washington, opponents warned of environmental damage and the risk that the two nations would become targets for attack by states or terror groups that oppose the US.
Some critics also cautioned against antagonising Russia, while proponents argued that it would prevent Moscow ever using military force against its neighbours.
While Mr Obama and his predecessor George W Bush, who championed the system, insisted that it was not intended to reduce Russia’s missile potential, the Kremlin was never convinced, and saw the project as a major stumbling block to better relations with Washington.
Yesterday Polish premier Donal Tusk said: “Today here have been a whole series of meetings and talks with the US side on their future plans.”
“I have spoken with President Obama on what we can do to enhance Poland’s security . . . There is a chance in the near future of enhancing security co-operation between Poland and the United States,” he said, without giving details.
Poland had sought US help in upgrading its defence systems in return for hosting the interceptor rocket base, with a battery of surface-to-air Patriot missiles high on Warsaw’s wish-list.
Analysts say there is a danger that east European countries will interpret the move as abandonment by Washington, while Moscow will believe it has carte blanche to do as it pleases in the former Warsaw Pact countries. The timing of the announcement was unfortunate, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland at the beginning of the second World War.
The decision was welcomed warmly in Russia, whose help Mr Obama needs in dealing with Iran and North Korea, on moving forward with nuclear disarmament and keeping supplies flowing to troops in Afghanistan. Mr Medvedev told Russian television, “We value the US president’s responsible approach . . .”
But Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of the Russian parliament, said he doubted the decision made Russia more likely to support increased sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. However, Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of Russia’s parliament, said the move “reflects an understanding that any security measure can’t be built entirely on the basis of one nation”.
“Now we can talk about restoration of the strategic partnership between Russia and the United States,” he added.