The Associated Press 
February 3rd, 2008 

 A Russian news agency said Sunday that Moscow's envoy to NATO warned Poland against accepting a U.S. missile defense site, invoking memories of its World War II plight.

The reported comments follow Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski's trip to Washington, where he said Poland had reached an agreement in principle on plans for a U.S. missile defense system on Polish territory.

"The Polish colleagues must be reminded of their recent history, which indicates that attempts to place Poland 'on the confrontation line' have always led to tragedies. That way Poland lost nearly one third of its citizens during World War II," envoy Dmitry Rogozin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

"I was sure this horrible lesson would not be wasted and Poland would plan its foreign policy relying on friendly relations all along the borderline," Rogozin was quoted as saying.

The comments, purportedly made in an interview with Interfax, could not be confirmed through Rogozin's office.

Poland was invaded by Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939.

Sikorski said in Washington on Friday that the two sides had agreed in principle on the plan to deploy U.S. missile defense elements after he had received assurances that the United States would help Poland strengthen its short- to medium-range air defenses. The two sides did not elaborate on the terms of their agreement, and it remained unclear whether the United States had made specific promises to provide air defense systems.

Moscow, which has fiercely opposed U.S. plans to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic, apparently hoped that new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk could change course on the issue.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is set to visit Moscow on Friday. His EU-friendly Civic Platform party defeated the nationalist Law and Justice Party in October elections, pledged to improve relations with Moscow. He has decided to pull Polish soldiers back from Iraq and promised to conduct consultations on a U.S. missile defense base in Poland with NATO and other neighboring countries including Russia.