Polish official to query U.S. candidates

WASHINGTON, July 7 (UPI) -- Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski says he will talk with the two likely major-party U.S. presidential candidates about plans for a missile shield base.

Negotiations between the Bush administration and Polish officials to place 10 anti-missile missiles in the country have stalled, and Sikorski planned to travel to Washington to talk to likely presidential nominees U.S. Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., about the situation, RIA Novosti reported Monday.

Polish television said Sikorski would talk to Obama by phone Monday and would meet in person with McCain Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Polish missile base would be built in conjunction with a radar tracking system in the Czech Republic, a deal which is to be signed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this week.

Russia vehemently opposes the U.S. missile shield moves. U.S. officials say they're meant to guard against missile strikes from "rouge nations" while Moscow contends they threaten its European interests.