GUIDANCE ON U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE PLANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 066347 E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2028 TAGS: MARR PARM PREL XG SUBJECT: GUIDANCE ON U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE PLANS REF: RIGA 361 Classified By: Acting EUR DAS Anita Friedt; Reasons 1.4 (B & D). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3. ¶2. (C/NF) Background: Press reports have indicated that the U.S. is considering Lithuania as an alternative site for deployment of U.S. missile defense assets should negotiations with Poland fail. These reports are premature. In fact, the U.S. is hopeful of concluding missile defense negotiations with Poland in the coming weeks. ¶3. (U) Action Request: In response to host government and/or press inquiries about missile defense negotiations with Poland, Embassies may draw upon the following points: --We remain optimistic that we will successfully conclude missile defense negotiations with Poland, as well as identify appropriate means of addressing Polish defense modernization needs. --If Poland determines that basing a limited number of U.S. missile defense interceptors on Polish territory is not in their security interests, then as Acting Under Secretary of State John Rood has stated, the U.S. will respect Poland,s sovereignty and will look for an alternative location to place the missile defense site. END POINTS ¶4. (U) State Department POCs are EUR/PRA Michele Azevedo(202) 647-6861 and EUR/PRA Joe Klinger (202) 647-6154. ¶5. (U) Embassy assistance is appreciated. RICE