President on purchase of Australian frigates: no topic is closed
Talks have been held on the topic and are still being conducted, said President Andrzej Duda in Sydney on Tuesday when asked about the possible purchase of Adelaide-class missile frigates from Australia.
"We’ve conducted talks on this subject and are still conducting them, they are a matter of domestic discussions which on the one hand are of a military nature, but on the other of a business nature because the issues involve the Polish shipbuilding industry, but I assure you that no topic is closed," said President Duda to Polish journalists in Sydney when asked whether Poland has given up on the idea of buying Adelaide-class missile frigates from Australia.
Accompanying President Andrzej Duda on his trip to Australia is Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak and a delegation from the Ministry of Defence.
Paweł Soloch, head of the National Security Bureau (BBN), told PAP last week that one of the "key dimensions" of the President's visit to Australia would be security issues, including talks on the purchase by Poland of Adelaide-class missile frigates from Australia.
Reports appeared in the media on Friday that Poland may not purchase the Australian frigates. Dariusz Gwizdała, deputy head of the BBN told PAP on Friday that the possible acquisition of the Australian missile frigates is an option worth considering as a bridge solution until the Polish shipbuilding industry acquires the competence to produce this type of vessel.
Source: PAP