Warsaw - Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski told the daily Dziennik his recent trip to the US was important to clarify the Polish stance amid a deadlock in negotiations on a proposed American anti-missile shield in Poland.

Sikorski held talks with US presidential hopeful John McCain, and called them "so cordial and precise that it surprised us." Sikorski added that presidential candidate Barack Obama's skepticism about the shield is "widely known."

But McCain's opinion strengthens the Polish stance in negotiations, Sikorski said, and serves as an important point in talks.

"It shows the possible future president and one of the main strategists of that country thinks Polish demands are sensible," he said.

Sikorski met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in an attempt to save the nearly two year-long talks from collapse. Sikorski also spoke with McCain and Obama during his visit, but Warsaw and Washington failed to reach a final agreement.

Poland is bargaining hard for military aid in exchange for the US having the hosting rights for 10 long-range missile interceptors on Polish soil.

The US says the system is meant for protection against "rogue states" like Iran, but Russia views the project as a threat to European security and has threatened a military attack if the plan goes ahead.

The Czech Republic - which is to co-host the system with Poland - signed a deal with the US earlier this week to host a radar station as part of the shield. (dpa)