Warsaw - General Henry Obering said the United States wants an anti-missile base in Poland by 2012, and would ratify the deal even this year, Polish local media reported on Wednesday.

Obering, who is director of the US Missile Defence Agency, was visiting northern Poland on Wednesday to tour the future site of the missile base and meet with local officials. He said the 400-million dollar investment would boost the region's economy.

Polish vice-minister of Defence Stanislaw Jerzy Komorowski said that Poland also wants a quick ratification of the deal, reported the Polish Press Agency, but had doubts it could be done by the end of 2008.

Poland and the US signed a deal in August to set up a missile defence base on Polish soil, part of a planned US system in eastern Europe that has inflamed tension with Russia.

After more than a year of tough bargaining, Poland formally agreed to host 10 US missile interceptors in return for a pledge of US military aid, including Patriot air defence missiles.

Russia has opposed the plan, saying the shield targets Moscow's strategic nuclear arsenal. (dpa)