Russian military plans will take into account deployment of U.S. bases in Poland - ministry
MOSCOW. Dec 9 (Interfax) - Moscow will take into account U.S.-Polish military cooperation plans when implementing its own program to build up its Armed Forces, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"The Russian Foreign Ministry took note of the decision announced after the meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski to deploy a U.S. Air Force unit at the airbase in Lask [Poland] to host fighter and transport aircraft," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"This step has to be seen in light of the now publicized NATO plan to defend Poland and the Baltic States 'from possible aggression on the part of Russia,'" the ministry said.
"It should be recalled that U.S. Patriot missile units, which have deployed in Poland since 2009, also raise questions about their true purpose," the statement said.
"Apparently, in this particular case the old NATO reflex of building forces in detriment of other nations' security has worked. It is all the more strange that all this is occurring after the positive outcomes of the NATO-Russia Council summit and the alliance's declarations that Russia is not regarded as an enemy," the ministry said.
"We will certainly have to take into account the U.S.-Polish plans when implementing our own program to build our Armed Forces and in working with our allies," the statement said.
"However, we believe European security interests would be met by directly opposite decisions which guarantee at least that military planning is not aimed against one another," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
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