Missile deal frays US-Russia ties

ensions heightened between Russia and the US after Washington signed a deal with Poland to position US missile interceptors on Polish soil, with Russia warning that this created mistrust and would fuel an arms race.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the war in Georgia had caused the US to "step back and look hard" at what Russia's ambitions were, but she insisted that there was no new Cold War.

Despite the threat from Moscow that Poland was putting itself at risk of a Russian attack, Polish leaders were all smiles during the signing ceremony at the presidential palace in Warsaw, in the presence of Ms Rice.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski played up the role that he and his allies in the previous government had in making the deal happen, adding that he was very satisfied that "one of the main strategic goals which he had set himself, had been realized