MOSCOW, September 19, SPA -- A Russian deputy defense minister has confirmed that the military has scrapped a plan to deploy missiles near Poland. Vladimir Popovkin was quoted as saying by The Associated Press that U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to dump the Bush-era plan to deploy missile defense sites in Eastern Europe has made the deployment of Iskander short-range missiles in Russia's Kaliningrad region unnecessary. Popovkin's statement on Ekho Moskvy radio Saturdayconfirmed previous similar statements by other Russianofficials.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/701402