Russian envoy to the EU has warned US president-elect Barack Obama against pursuing Bush's plan to deploy a missile shield in Poland.

"Russia has been warning the international community for many months that we would have to react," Vladimir Chizhov told reporters ahead of an EU-Russia summit on Friday in Nice, France.

Last week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Moscow planned to deploy short-range missile systems near Poland's border if the United States insists on its plan to install elements of the proposed missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Washington maintains the missile-defense system is needed to protect the United States and its European allies against missile strikes from 'rogue states', but Moscow remains vehemently opposed to what it calls a threat to its national security.

Obama has been walking on eggs with respect to the plans the Bush administration has been pushing ahead with, saying he would make sure the system had been proven to work before deploying it.

"I don't want to prejudge any decision that President-elect Obama will be taking, but I believe it's best for him to know what to expect from Russia in case this decision is taken," Chizhov said.

A US official had earlier said that Washington and Moscow would begin talks on Thursday to come up with a successor to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires at the end of 2009, AP reported

The negotiations would take place in the US and Russian diplomatic missions in Geneva and last until November 21, she said on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has rejected US proposals seeking to ease its Cold War archenemy's concerns over the planned missile-system in Europe, saying it would try again to resolve the dispute once Barack Obama takes office.

"Russia is ready to cooperate with the United States on European security but considers the proposals that were sent insufficient," said an identified Kremlin official.

"We will not give our agreement to these proposals, and we will speak to the new administration," the source added.