Polish election winner: No hurry over U.S. shield

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's centre-right election winner sees no need to hurry on U.S. missile shield talks and no reason to keep troops in Iraq as it shifts foreign policy more towards Europe, a top party official said.

"We are a member of the European Union, not the United States," said deputy Civic Platform leader Bronislaw Komorowski, emphasising that the party's priority for foreign policy was ratifying the new EU treaty.

"Our goal is to be back in the heart of Europe, not its corner," Komorowski told Reuters in an interview on Monday.

Komorowski is tipped as a possible foreign minister or parliament speaker.

His Civic Platform won a decisive parliamentary election victory on Sunday over the Law and Justice party of the Kaczynski twins, strong allies of Washington who clashed repeatedly with other EU leaders.

The Platform has made clear it would toughen Poland's stance on the U.S. plan to put installations in Poland for a missile shield. Washington says it needs the shield to counter rogue states. Russia calls it a threat.

"We will take power, we will look into the matter and we will decide whether negotiations have resulted in the desired outcome," Komorowski said.

"One thing is important, the fact that the U.S. is in no hurry. The U.S. is not putting on pressure when it comes to final decisions... So there is no reason why Poland should hurry with its decisions."

U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates voiced hope on Monday that the United States would be able to continue its strong relationship with Warsaw.

The Platform has long questioned the presence of 900 troops in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led force although it has not openly opposed the mission in Afghanistan.

"We have a clear position on the Iraq issue. Poland has fulfilled 400 percent of its obligations for the mission and there is no reason to make it 500," Komorowski said.

He said the Platform was concerned by President Lech Kaczynski's statements that troops should stay in Iraq in 2008. The president and twin brother Jaroslaw, the prime minister, say pulling troops out would amount to desertion.

"Poland's mission in Iraq should not be prolonged beyond 2007," Komorowski said.