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Poland has no plans to deploy US missiles on its territory — top diplomat

On July 6, the Polish and US defense ministries signed a memorandum on the delivery of Patriot anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems to the republic

MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. Poland is not considering the deployment of US medium-and short-range missiles on its territory for the moment, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said in an interview with Kommersant business daily.

"So far these are all speculations: we did not get any offers from the US, and the decision to deploy such weapons would depend on NATO. As far as I know, we are not considering this prospect for the moment," the minister said.

Earlier, the Polish newspaper Gazeta Pravna reported that the talks between Warsaw and Washington on Poland's acquisition of the eight Patriot anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems had come to a standstill. The representatives of the US defense department said they cannot agree to transfer the technologies, the Polish party is striving for.

According to the Polish newspaper, Warsaw in the event of signing an agreement on the purchase of Patriot hopes to obtain certain technologies related to management and maintenance of complexes, communications, armaments. The Polish government would like to receive technology for the production of cheap ground-to-air missiles. In total, the program of the Polish party contains 12 points. If these points are not met the agreement on the Patriot supply will not be signed. It was noted that so far only a few requirements of Warsaw have been met, the negotiations have reached a deadlock.

On July 6, the Polish and US defense ministries signed a memorandum on the delivery of Patriot systems to the republic.

Polish Minister of National Defense Antoni Macierewicz said that the Patriot systems would be supplied to the country by 2022 and their "operation readiness" is set for 2023, according to a joint declaration of the Polish and US defense ministries.

Macierewicz said a memorandum was signed that the US government agrees that the Patriot systems sold to Poland will be equipped with the advanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) and a radar. It was planned to buy eight batteries worth 30 billion zlotys (about $7.5 bln).