Polish president at odds with new PM on Iraq: Tusk

Poland's new liberal prime minister, Donald Tusk, admitted Wednesday to holding divergent views from conservative President Lech Kaczynski on Iraq and the proposed US missile defence shield.

"Concerning Iraq, the differences of opinion are quite serious," Tusk told journalists following a one-hour meeting with the president aimed at ironing out any creases in their potentially awkward cohabitation.

Tusk and his liberal Civic Platform dealt a stunning election defeat in October to Kaczynski's twin brother Jaroslaw, the previous prime minister and current leader of the right-wing opposition Law and Justice Party.

In a speech outlining his policies to parliament on November 23, Tusk promised that Poland would end its current mission in Iraq by the end of 2008.

Tusk said the president was not convinced that this was the correct course of action, but expressed confidence that he could win him round.

Defence Minister Bogdan Klich has even indicated that the 900 troops Poland has deployed in Iraq could be back home by next summer.

Tusk also said the two leaders held different views about Polish-US negotiations on the installation of interceptor missiles as part of a US missile defence shield.

"The president is more enthusiastic than me, without there being a fundamental difference between us on this matter," said Tusk.

"The president is more determined (to find an agreement with the Americans), independently of what it costs Poland."

The US plan calls for the installation of a powerful targeting radar in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland by 2012.

Tusk also said the presidency had stressed the "good atmosphere" of the meeting.