Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday to discuss missile defence and other issues, according to dpa. Lithuanian has been identified as an alternate site for stationing a US missile defence system if a deal with Poland cannot be reached, but the US State Department said there have been no negotations with the Baltic state. "There are no negotiations with any other country than Poland and the Czech Republic," spokesman Sean McCormack said. The United States and the Czech Republic have reached a deal for the latter to host the radar. McCormack emphasized that Rice's meeting with Kirkilas was about the missile defence plans in Eastern Europe that Washington typically has with other NATO allies. "We're going to keep open those channels of communication with those countries that are interested in the issue," he said. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday after meeting with Kirkilas said Lithuania would be a "good alternative" if negotations with Warsaw failed. Talks with Poland for the stationing of 10 missile interceptors have been bogged down by Pole demands for increased military aid, although both sides have expressed confidence a deal can be reached. Since taking office in November, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has increased demands on Washington for military assistance in return for the basing of the interceptors. The countries have since begun negotiating a separate agreement for military assistance that could include improvements to Poland's air defences. Russia strongly opposes a long range US missile-defence system in Eastern Europe and has threatened to target the bases with its own missiles. The United States maintains the limited system does not pose a threat to Russia's massive fleet of nuclear missiles.
