Not just yet...

An agreement to station Patriot missiles in Poland will not be signed with the US in Warsaw today, as has been previously announced.

As Polish Radio has learnt both sides are still setting the details of the agreement with its new signing date set for Friday.

According to unofficial information, the American side is not satisfied with the Polish translation of the document with representatives of the US administration still discussing its phrasing in great details.

The Status of Forces (SOFA) agreement opens the way for the missiles and US troops to be stationed in Poland next year as part of an upgrading of NATO air defences in Europe. The negotiations have been going on for the last 14 months.

SOFA rules include provisions for American troops to pay taxes in Poland and if any crimes are committed outside the base then they would come to be under the jurisdiction of Polish law.

Deputy defence minister Stanislaw Komorowski is to discuss the issue in depth with the US undersecretary of state for arms control Ellen Tauscher who is coming to Warsaw today. (di/jb)