NATO should be earnest about allied security - President
Poland is in NATO and fulfils its obligations but being a member of the Alliance it expects that NATO would treat Poland's security seriously, President Andrzej Duda said at an annual briefing of MoD leaders and the army's top brass on Wednesday.
Allied cooperation is of fundamental importance and it is a mutual relation, the president stressed.
"Poland is in NATO, but it is high time for NATO to be in Poland, too", the president said, referring to Poland's efforts to increase the allied military presence in Poland and other eastern flank countries.
This aim has been achieved thanks to Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz, his associates, generals and military diplomats, President Duda stressed.
He termed the 2016 Warsaw NATO summit decision to deploy additional forces in the alliance's eastern flank "a historic and breakthrough decision" in terms of building a zone of security and restoring NATO's international importance.
President Andrzej Duda said that the most important task for Poland is building a strong state with an army that can defend the country's borders and cooperate in alliances.
"I have said on numerous occasions that the most important task is to build a strong state. In such a state an efficient, well-equipped and excellently-trained army that is experienced and prepared to defend Poland's borders and cooperate within alliances is of absolutely fundamental importance", President Duda said.
"You all know perfectly well what it feels like to live in a country that enjoys its international position, that also has a position in the structures of international security, that has its armed forces and that is able to defend its citizens", the president said.
The annual briefing of top Defence Ministry officials and army commanders is held every year in Warsaw in order to sum up task implementation over the past year and set priorities for the ministry and the army for the next months. The key part of the meeting is held behind closed doors.
Source: PAP