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Bush Wins Poland's Support for Missile Defense NewsMax.com Wires GDANSK, Poland -- President Bush pressed his plan for a proposed European anti-missile defense on Friday with the president of Poland and won his strong support for installing interceptors on Polish soil. Earlier, an upset stomach forced Bush to skip some meetings at a summit of major industrial democracies in Germany. Both Bush and President Lech Kaczynski said the missile-defense system would not threaten Russia in any way. The system has been an issue of contention between Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The system we have proposed is not directed at Russia. We would welcome Russian cooperation in missile defense," Bush said. He said a working group including the United States and Russia would "discuss different opportunities and different options, all aimed at providing protection for people from rogue regimes who might be in a position to either blackmail and or attack those of us who live in free societies." It came as Putin suggested new sites for the system designed to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles - including stationing part of it in Iraq. For his part, Kacynski voiced strong support for the U.S. plan to install 10 anti-missile interceptors on Polish soil. Story Continues Below
"The Russian federation can feel totally safe," said Kacynski. He said Moscow must recognize that the world has changed since the fall of the Soviet Union nearly two decades ago. The system Bush envisions would include a radar installation in the Czech Republic and 10 anti-missile interceptors in Poland. The two spoke at the airport as Bush prepared to leave for Rome, his next stop on a weeklong trip to Europe. He spent about four hours in Poland. Bush appeared subdued. Earlier, some bed rest let him rejoin the gathering of the Group of Eight industrial powers in Germany and continue to Poland. Putin has been a sharp critic of the U.S. plan to base its anti-missile system in two countries that had been part of the Warsaw Pact. But on Thursday, during a meeting with Bush on the sidelines of the G-8 summit, Putin softened his criticism by suggesting that the U.S. include in the system use of the huge Soviet-era radar in northeast Azerbaijan. Bush said he would consider it. On Friday, Putin suggested that U.S. missile defense interceptors could be located in Turkey, or even Iraq or on sea platforms. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview with The Associated Press, "One does not choose sites for missile defense out of the blue." Bush thanked Kaczynski for sending troops to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Poland has nearly 900 troops in Iraq, and Bush noted that the country had recently agreed to keep them there at least through the end of the year. Earlier, Bush missed some of the G-8 meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany, because of stomach upset. "He's not 100 percent, but he felt well enough to return to the talks," White House counselor Dan Bartlett told reporters. The aide said Bush likely fell ill with "some sort of bug, probably more viral in nature" and that it appeared unrelated to anything he ate. Laura Bush didn't feel well a few days ago either, Bartlett said. Bush already was dressed when he began feeling ill, Bartlett said. He stayed in bed for several hours, missing one session with African leaders and most of another with leaders from China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. Even while ill, Bush taped his weekly radio address and met as planned with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, though in his private quarters instead of a meeting room. Bush attended the closing lunch, engaging in extensive sideline conversations with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bush also met on the summit sidelines with Chinese President Hu Jintao and they had a "good talk" about Darfur, a Bush aide said. G-8 members on Friday reaffirmed two-year-old pledges to try to lift Africa out of poverty and fight the spread of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The declaration came on the summit's third and final day. Leaders also agreed to a new program worth more than $60 billion to fight disease in Africa. Anti-poverty activists have complained that promises to boost annual aid to poor countries have not been met. The group warned Iran over its disputed nuclear program by signaling its support for U.N. Security Council moves to discuss a third set of sanctions against Iran. Leaders also discussed a proposal on the Serbian province of Kosovo, which is seeking independence, but did not agree. They had what White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said were "several good conversations" in which they reiterated the need to resolve the issue through the Security Council. Bartlett joked that Bush's decision to avoid the other leaders for a while was a "precautionary step" to not follow in the footsteps of his father, former President George H. W. Bush. At a state dinner in Tokyo in January 1992, the elder Bush fainted and vomited. The first hint that something was amiss with the current president came when Sarkozy emerged alone from their meeting. He said, in French, that Bush was in his bedroom and that Bush's spokesmen would have to explain further. It was their first meeting since Sarkozy took office May 16, and second overall; the first was last September in Washington. Sarkozy, seen as friendlier to the U.S., said Bush invited him to visit soon. "The president felt that they established a real personal rapport," Bartlett said. © 2007 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note: Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
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