国际英语新闻：Russia to discuss U.S. missile in Poland during START ratification

MOSCOW, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Russian State Duma will address the deployment of U.S. Patriot missiles in Poland during the ratification of the new Russian-U.S Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, the chairman of State Duma Boris Gryzlov said on Saturday.

The theme would surely be discussed in the debates, Gryzlov said in an analytical program on Rossiya television channel.

Gryzlov said he hopes the U.S. will not beef up its weapons in Europe.

"We wouldn't like the situation to develop this way. I view this just as a trial balloon," Gryzlov said, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

The speaker expressed the hope that tensions between Russia and the West will not increase over the deployment of Patriot missiles in Poland.

"I think negotiations and meetings at various levels, including the parliamentary level, will help avoid such a scenario," Gryzlov said.

Russia's State Duma would closely study and analyze several aspects of the new START treaty, submitted by President Dmitry Medvedev for ratification on Friday, said the head of the International Committee of the State Duma Konstantin Kosachyov one day earlier.

Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama have agreed earlier that the ratification process should be underway simultaneously. The treaty must be ratified by both houses of the Russian parliament and by the U.S. Senate before it can take effect.

The widely hailed new pact is conducive to easing frustrated U.S.-Russian ties and pushing forward nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation process on a global scale.