Polish Parliament agrees to ratify military base

As many as 422 MPs voted for the bill, with three voting against, and five abstaining.

The agreement, which accompanies the decision to locate anti-ballistic missile bases in Poland, concerns the conditions of the proper functioning of the US missile defense system.

The restrictions discussed apply to the height of buildings surrounding the base (so far, the buildings in the area meet these conditions by a wide margin), spatial policy, using devices that emit electromagnetic waves, aircraft flights over the future base and around it.

The planned Redzikowo missile shield is seen to be a primary defence against attacks from foreign countries capable of producing nuclear missiles.

Former US Ambassador to Poland Stephen Mull in July commented that the recent deal between the US and Iran “does not affect our plans to build a base in Redzikowo, construction of which should begin next year and which should be ready by 2018.”

Under a deal signed in 2010 the US will station SM-3 ballistic missile interceptors in the village of Redzikowo, northern Poland, with the aim of protecting NATO countries from the potential threat of ballistic missiles launched from "rogue states".

The SM-3 missile plan replaced a Bush administration proposal to develop a fully land-based missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic, which was cancelled by President Obama in September 2009. (rg/rk)