The U.S. plans to base elements of the anti-missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic should be decided at the NATO and EU forum, visiting head of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering said on Tuesday.

"This is not a bilateral Polish-U.S. or Czech-U.S matter. This should be a joint matter that should be decided at the NATO and EU forum," Poettering told a press conference in Warsaw.

U.S. President George W. Bush will pay a 3-hour visit to Poland on Friday, when Bush will meet with Polish president at his residence in Jurata on the Baltic coast.

The U.S. anti-missile shield and relations with Russia will probably be the major topics at the talks between Polish and U.S. presidents, Polish PAP news agency reported.

On Jan. 20, the United States proposed the installing parts of its anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, a move strongly opposed by Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned earlier that the project could trigger a new arms race.

The United States said the shield is designed to intercept rockets fired against it from the Middle or Far East.

Source: Xinhua