POLISH FM ON AFGHANISTAN AND INFORMAL NATO

S E C R E T WARSAW 000165

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL MARR MOPS AF PL
SUBJECT: POLISH FM ON AFGHANISTAN AND INFORMAL NATO
MINISTERIAL

REF: A. STATE 007434


B. STATE 004834

C. STATE 000243

Classified By: Political Counselor Mary T. Curtin for reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d)


1. (C) Per reftels, Ambassador met January 25 with FM Fotyga
to discuss Poland's engagement in Afghanistan. (Reftel
demarches were delivered to the MFA Security Policy
Department upon receipt, but the Polish response was deferred
until FM Fotyga herself could meet with Ambassador.) Given
Poland's imminent increase of its troop contribution to 1200
troops and exemplary record of no caveats, Ambassador chose
only to praise Poland's commitment on these points.
Ambassador noted that the U.S. was pressing other allies to
fulfill the promises of the Riga Summit, including with
regard to non-military assistance to Afghanistan.


2. (C) FM Fotyga responded that, in parallel with the new
troop deployments, the Polish MFA was significantly
increasing its diplomatic engagement in support of the
Government of Afghanistan as well as its development
assistance to Afghanistan. She promised that Poland planned
to be "very generous, within our limited means." (N.B.
According to the Security Policy Department, the 2007 budget
request includes approx. $3 million in development assistance
for Afghanistan. The budget has still not been approved by
parliament, but MFA believes this number is not at risk.)
Fotyga also added that Poland was interested in working with
the Afghan agricultural sector to find viable alternatives to
resurgent poppy cultivation.


3. (C) COMMENT. Poland has remained a steadfast leader in
support of ISAF. Despite limited public support for the
Afghanistan mission to date, the GOP from President Kaczynski
down has shown a strong commitment to its NATO obligations
and senior offiYPQsQal interest in mission's success,
rooted in his time spent as a BBC reporter during the
Soviet-Afghan War, and he has made Afghanistan his top
priority over the past year. It is also worth noting that
the allocation of $3 million will make Afghanistan one of the
largest recipients of Poland's nascent foreign assistance
program. END COMMENT.
ASHE