Washington  - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Wednesday as the United States reviews plans to field a missile-defence system in Eastern Europe.

The two diplomats did not raise the issue during their brief appearance before reporters before meeting behind closed doors.

The Bush administration forged an agreement with Poland for hosting 10 interceptors missiles, while the Czech Republic would be the site for its radar.

Warsaw- Polish President Lech Kaczynski hosted a summit Wednesday on the economic crisis with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and a slew of labour and economy officials.

It was a rare meeting on the issue between Kaczynski and Tusk, who are at odds on how Poland should deal with the crisis and whether adopting the euro would help.

Tusk has said Poland would work to adopt the euro by 2012 and the financial crisis gave the country more reasons to join the
15-member area.

London, Feb. 24 : In a major blow to Poland's reputation as a champion of traditional Roman Catholic values, a majority of the country''s Catholic priests favor an end to celibacy, a survey has revealed.

A survey of over 800 Polish priests carried out by Professor Josef Baniak, a sociologist specializing in religious affairs, found that 53 per cent would like to have a wife, while 12 per cent admitted that they were already involved in a relationship, the Telegraph reports.

A further 30 per cent revealed that they had sexual relationships with women at some point in their lives.

An earlier research had concluded that a number of priests were leaving priesthood due to their desire to have a relationship and a family.

Warsaw- The Polish government has appointed a spokesperson after nearly eight months of the position being left vacant, local media reported on Tuesday.

Poland's last spokesperson resigned for personal reasons in July 2008. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier this month he isn't looking for a new candidate, and doesn't "see such a need."

But last week Tusk's close associates decided there was a need for a spokesman after all, reported the Polish Press Agency PAP.

Warsaw - Poland will begin talks next month on entering the European Exchange Rate Mechanism 2 (ERM-2) and should join by May or June, deputy finance minister Ludwik Kotecki said in a TV interview on Monday.

The ERM-2 is seen as the precursor to joining the euro itself, which the country's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, has said recently he wants Poland to adopt by 2012.

A qualifying country is required to spend at least two years in ERM-2 and run a budget deficit no more than 3 per cent of GDP before it can drop its national currency and adopt the euro.

Vienna  - Polish regional politician Marek Nawara remained in critical condition Sunday after suffering severe head injuries while skiing in Austria, according to a spokeswoman at his hospital in the Austrian town of Klagenfurt.

"It's impossible to make any prediction at this stage," spokeswoman Nathalie Wurzer said when asked about Nawara's chances of regaining full health.

The premier of the Malopolska province was skiing in Sankt Margarethen in the province of Salzburg on Friday when he fell and hit his head on the piste surface.

Nawara, 52, suffered severe head and brain injuries and is in an induced coma.