Chairman of the Australian Parliamentary Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade visits Poland
Thursday, 29 March 2012. Head of the NSB Stanisław Koziej met with Mr. Michael Danby, chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade of the Australian House of Representatives, accompanied by the Ambassador of Australia to Poland Jean Dunn. It was the first visit of the representative of Australia in the NSB.
The parties discussed the consequences of the strategic shift in American focus into Asia and Pacific, challenges connected with the growing global position of China and North Korean nuclear program as well as the future of Afghanistan.
It is worth reminding, that Australia is a very important partner of NATO participating in ISAF operation with contingent of 1550 troops (the 11th biggest contingent among the coalition partners and the biggest among the NATO non-members).
Both parties agreed that the success of transition process in Afghanistan, organization withdrawing allied contingents from the country and ensuring proper support for Afghan structures after 2014 are important challenges for the international society.
Minister Koziej indicated that during NATO summit in Chicago Poland will continue supporting completion of Alliance strategy for Afghanistan presented in Lisbon in 2010, which expects the ISAF mission to end in 2014.