Polish Prime Minister confirms that he declined Obama's call

Warsaw, Sep. 18 (ANI): Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has confirmed that he declined to receive President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's calls on the decision to scrap the planned missile-defense bases in his country.

Politico quoted Tusk as saying that he declined to speak with US President Obama during the night because he wanted to "properly prepare for the discussion."

He rejected a call from Hillary Clinton because, as the head of the government, he was entitled to speak to the president.

"Hillary called and the reason he turned it down was because of protocol," the paper quoted a source, as saying.

A Polish Embassy spokesman noted that Tusk later spoke to Obama, while Clinton spoke to the country's foreign minister.

The Polish press began questioned the exchanges after Obama reached out the Czech prime minister late last night to talk about the policy change, but did not speak to the Polish PM until this morning.

According to the report, the Polish preparation seems to have paid off.

They are reportedly pressing for an American commitment of Patriot missile systems based in Poland, which the Poles see, like the larger missile-defense bases, as a partial guarantee against Russian aggression.

"I would not describe what is going on today as a defeat for Poland," Tusk told reporters in Warsaw, saying Obama had signaled that "Poland has a chance to win an exclusive position" in the new system. (ANI)