AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,
WASHINGTON: The US is discussing with Poland and other countries possible sites in Europe for a missile interceptor base capable of protecting the continent against a long-range missile attack, a senior defense official said.
The official said discussions have been under way 'below the radar screen' since 2002 but indicated that the US government was now nearing the point of making decisions on whether and how to go forward with such an initiative.
'There have been a handful of countries, Poland is one, but there are several others with whom we've been having discussions with,' said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, in an interview with Agence France-Presse.
The US official declined to identify the other countries with which the US is discussing the missile site.
He said the site could be very similar to the US site in Fort Greely, Alaska, where half a dozen ground-based missiles are positioned to intercept potential long-range missile attacks from North Korea.
A similar site in central Europe would provide both the US and Europe protection against long-range missiles fired from the Middle East or North Africa, he said.
