Polish president with NATO head discuss NATO policy - News - National Security Bureau

08.10.2014

Polish president with NATO head discuss NATO policy

New NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on his first official foreign visit in Warsaw on Monday discussed NATO's eastern policy and security guarantees offered to members of the alliance with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski and PM Ewa Kopacz.

NATO's priorities should include strengthening the security of its members and supporting Ukraine's pro-Western ambitions, Bronislaw Komorowski said after the meeting with Jens Stoltenberg.

"In Poland's view, the changes in the security environment in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis are permanent, which means that we need to find a way to improve relations with Russia, the Polish president said.

Jens Stoltenberg assured that NATO was determined to implement the readiness action plan approved at the recent summit in Newport, Wales and that the alliance would maintain permanent presence in its eastern flank, adding that the Warsaw visit was his first official foreign trip as NATO secretary-general.

This way we acknowledge Poland's key role in our alliance. It is an expression of strong NATO solidarity in these turbulent times. NATO defends and protects each ally, Stoltenberg stressed.

The readiness action plan is a tangible response to contemporary challenges, although its nature is entirely defensive and in agreement with international commitments, according to the NATO head.

Poland significantly contributes to NATO and NATO significantly contributes to Poland's security and this obligation is and will be unwavering, Stoltenberg said.

The secretary-general praised Poland's decision to increase its defence spending to 2 percent of GDP, a NATO-recommended military spending level.

The president reiterated that "Poland upholds its commitment towards Ukraine. We will support the modernisation process of Ukraine's defence system, in line with the decisions of the Alliance as a whole, as we expect that Polish support will bring Ukraine closer to some standards, to achieving viable ability to cooperate with NATO," Komorowski said.

Komorowski stressed that Poland was still in favour of constructing a NATO-wide missile defence system. "We strongly support creating a NATO-wide system as only in such form it has profound political and defensive meaning."

The Polish president expressed hope that the new NATO leader would be able to reverse the decline in the Alliance's defence spending.

"I am fully satisfied that today we hear such strong words that testify to the determination in implementing all the NATO's Newport arrangements," Komorowski stressed.

Jens Stoltenberg thanked Poland for its obligation to organise the next NATO summit in 2016.


Source: president.pl; PAP