Polish-US missile defence deal takes effect

Warsaw: Poland and the US say their deal that calls for deployment of land-based ballistic missiles by the year 2018 has begun.

The deal is part of a plan by President Barack Obama`s administration to place land and sea-based radars and interceptors in several European locations as a shield against possible missile attack from Iran. It has drawn strong opposition from Russia, which fears it might become a target.

A US embassy statement said the deal took effect on Thursday.

An undisclosed number of SM-3 interceptors are to be placed in Redzikowo, on the Baltic Sea coast, as a "significant contribution" from the two nations to NATO defence capability, the statement said.

Bureau Report