Defence Minister: Putin's Comments "nothing New For Poland"

Russian President Vladimir Putin's sharp criticism of the US and Europe on global security issues at a high-profile weekend conference in Munich showed Russia's true face, Poland's new Defence Minister Aleksander Szczyglo said Monday.

"For Poland this is nothing new," Szczyglo told Polish Radio. "The return to Cold-War rhetoric by President Putin, creating a climate of danger which doesn't exist on any side - these are all elements hailing back to a certain type of behaviour we know from the past," the Polish official said.

Putin's speech showed Russia's true character, he added. "The dreams are gone, the bubble has burst - this is the reality."

Putin on Saturday sharply criticized the planned deployment of 10 anti-ballistic missile systems by the US in EU and NATO member states Poland and the Czech Republic.

Poland's Prime Minister Jaroslav Kaczynski pushed ahead with parliamentary consultations Monday on the possibility of installing proposed US missile shield bases in Poland. Formal talks with the US on the matter are expected to begin within the next few weeks.

Neither the premier nor his identical twin President Lech Kaczynski commented directly on Putin's speech.

No high-ranking Polish leader attended the weekend Munich Security Conference, leading to criticism that both the president and premier were engaging in a damaging policy of isolating EU and NATO member Poland within the international arena.

Russia's scathing criticism of the proposed missile shield bases is the latest in a string of contentious issues plaguing relations with Poland.

A Russian ban on Polish meat and plant product imports caused a crisis in late 2006. Poland argued the move was illegal under an existing Russia-EU trade agreement and demanded Russia drop the ban.

When Moscow refused, EU member Poland blocked the start of talks on a new EU-Russia agreement.

Source: playfuls.com