President of Poland accompanied by the Head of the NSB visited Afghanistan - News - National Security Bureau

Polish President was accompanied by the Minister of National Defense Tomasz Siemoniak, Chief of Staff general Mieczysław Cieniuch and the Operational Commander of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Edward Gruszka – the forces serving abroad are under his command.

Bronisław Komorowski, speaking after talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, said Poland wants to end its military mission in Afghanistan in tune with a NATO plan, but it wants to help that country also after the conclusion of the ISAF mission in 2014.

The president assured that "Poland would want to be present in Afghanistan in various forms of support for the Afghan statehood following the end of the military mission."

"Today, we are building in Poland a concept of our involvement in other forms after 2014. I am sure that Polish-Afghan friendship, shaped in difficult circumstances, will survive much longer than the presence of Polish soldiers in your country," Komorowski said turning to the president of Afghanistan.

President Karzai stressing the hitherto good contacts with Poland expressed hope that cooperation will be continued after the conclusion of the military mission.

The Afghan president asked about preferred forms of aid mentioned the continuation of training increasing the efficiency of Afghan forces' activities and economic cooperation, including trade and industrial cooperation.

"We discussed the possibility of cooperation in education. We know that Poland has good educational institutions, many Afghans have studied in Poland," said President Karzai.

The two presidents also discussed the NATO May summit in Chicago and the situation in Afghanistan.

While in Kabul, the Polish president met with ISAF commander, General John R. Allen to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and activities of allied troops.

Later in the day, President Komorowski met with Polish soldiers stationed in the Ghazni province.

"The goal of this visit is obvious. Ahead of us is a NATO summit in Chicago during which we want to confirm the will to implement the strategy of completion of the Afghanistan mission. One also must get acquainted with opinions of the Afghans and of the commanders of the NATO operation," Bronisław Komorowski told reporters after meeting the soldiers.

The president was accompanied in Afghanistan, among others, by head of the National Security Office Stanislaw Koziej, Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak and by Chief of General Staff, General Mieczyslaw Cieniuch.

The present, 10th shift of the Polish contingent in Afghanistan counts some 2.5 soldiers and civilian employees.