Admiral Mark Stanhope visits the NSB
Monday, 20 February 2012. The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff of the United Kingdom Sir Mark Stanhope visited the National Security Bureau. He was accompanied in Warsaw by HM Ambassador to Poland Robin Barnett.
Sir Stanhope’s meeting with the Head of the NSB Minister Stanisław Koziej was dedicated to discussing the strategy of gradual withdrawal of coalition forces participating in ISAF operations in Afghanistan in the context of preparations to NATO summit in Chicago, the role of Navy in ensuring international security and initiative of President of Poland concerning new security strategy in the EU presented during the Munich conference on 4 February 2012.
When discussing issues related to Afghanistan, Minister Koziej informed Admiral Stanhope about conditions for implementation of Polish strategy accepted by Polish government in autumn 2011, which included the demand to finish the operation by the end of 2014 in compliance with the decisions made during the Lisbon summit. The parties discussed also possible engagements in Afghanistan following 2014.
Admiral Stanhope shared British experiences concerning development of the Navy, which could be useful for Polish personnel working on the future of Polish Navy. At the end Minister Koziej presented the arguments that backup the need to prepare the new security strategy of the EU, which would be the background of President’s initiative.