President of Poland participates in the 48th Munich Security Conference - News - National Security Bureau

“It is time for the UE to approach its responsibility for security in Europe and around seriously, in synergic cooperation with the USA and NATO, with Russia and other Eastern European countries,” said Bronisław Komorowski in his speech during the main session dedicated to building Euro-Atlantic Security Community. “I believe that in order to regenerate the efforts in the security field, the EU should undertake postponed works on the Union’s security strategy.”

The President listed several reasons that should make the EU to prepare new strategy, among others, the recent American decision concerning decreasing its military presence in Europe. He admitted that it is difficult to be satisfied with announcement of such deep changes of accents in the American policy.

However, he moped that the real cohesion of the North Atlantic Treaty will be maintained and it will be prepared for the future challenges.

“I perceive those summons from Washington as a summon for the whole European Union (…) the EU must start acting instead of only declaring.”

As the president assessed, the American friends seem to tell us: „Europe, try on heavier armor,” and the signal from Washington is the last call that should incline the EU to develop new security strategy.

Bronisław Komorowski explained that NATO must remain a platform of strategic cohesion of the states on both sides of the Atlantic as a bond connecting Europe with North America.

He also reminded that Poland provided several suggestions during the last two years, to begin with appointing permanent operational command under the Common Security and Defense Policy. “It is worth finding out if the European Union should reach higher responsibility and maturity within security and defense field through the formula of strengthened cooperation included in the Lisbon Treaty,” added the President.

Bronisław Komorowski persuaded in Munich that ensuring security requires constant efforts. “It is curious that two decades after the end of the cold war, when the ideological differences and military hostility decreased, still within the same zone, we pay a lot of attention to the internal security problems, while in comparison to the events taking place in the Middle East, Africa and Asia they seem completely trivial.

In the opinion of Polish President there are some tendencies to militarilize and renationalize, which often dominate the multilateral approach to security.

„Financial crisis in the EU, blocking OSCE, discrepancies in the approach to the crisis in Libya, unjustified increase of the military outlays in some countries or the latest discrepancies in NATO’s flagship task – Afghanistan clearly characterize current conditions and questions concerning security field.” Said President Komorowski

“This list of problems inclines us to give up impudent confidence that the future will not bring new and serious challenges.”

The President said that often the problem is in psychology, perception, historical stereotypes and atavisms related to attachment to the military factor perceived as the influence and power factor or simply prestige. “Nobody is free of that way of thinking, especially super powers.”

In his opinion it is confirmed by the fate of the so called reset in American-Russian relations initiated by President Barack Obama in 2009. „Many people had great hopes for this reset. Today we have the impression that following the initial dynamics and START agreement signed nearly two years ago, those hopes failed to be accomplished.” President also reminded that Poland started own reset in the relations.

During the press briefing that followed his speech, President Komorowski emphasized that Poland has been suggesting undertaking some efforts to strengthen the community character of the security and defense policy for several years. “So far it’s been working rather poorly. Definitely it’s Beyond our expectations.” President said that Poland will try to consequently seek to achieve it and to find partners in the EU to move those processes forward.”