Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09WARSAW894
2009-09-02 11:04:00
SECRET
Embassy Warsaw
Cable title:
POLISH DEFENSE MINISTER PLACES CONDITIONS ON
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWR #0894 2451104 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 021104Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8811 INFO RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T WARSAW 000894
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR GLANTZ, OSD FOR MITCHEL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2019
TAGS: PREL MAPP MARR PL
SUBJECT: POLISH DEFENSE MINISTER PLACES CONDITIONS ON
MILITARY PROCUREMENT FROM U.S.
Classified By: Political Counselor F. Daniel Sainz, for reasons 1.4 b a
nd d.
S E C R E T WARSAW 000894
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR GLANTZ, OSD FOR MITCHEL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2019
TAGS: PREL MAPP MARR PL
SUBJECT: POLISH DEFENSE MINISTER PLACES CONDITIONS ON
MILITARY PROCUREMENT FROM U.S.
Classified By: Political Counselor F. Daniel Sainz, for reasons 1.4 b a
nd d.
1. (C) SUMMARY AND COMMENT. While at the International
Defense Trade Show in Kielce August 31, Polish Defense
Minister Bogdan Klich pointedly told U.S. vendors that Poland
and the United States needed to improve their political
relationship, or Poland would look to Europe and other
suppliers such as Israel for its defense procurement needs.
Although Polish CHOD General Franciszek Gagor visited with
DOD representatives at the official U.S. display, Klich
seemed to purposely avoid contact with the official American
delegation. National Security Advisor Jones's September 1
meeting outside Gdansk with Foreign Minister Sikorski should
help reassure the Poles that high-level consultations are in
train, but the Poles will continue to press for deliverables.
END SUMMARY AND COMMENT.
2. (C) Over thirty U.S. vendors are represented at the
annual defense equipment show in Kielce, augmented this year
by a U.S. Army display on the 21st Century Soldier. During
his tour of the vendor pavilion, Minister Klich stopped at
Sikorsky Helicopters, Raytheon, and Boeing. At each booth he
delivered a similar message. He stressed that his
dissatisfaction was not about business or technology, but
about "this Administration's" policies towards Poland. Klich
said that the GOP was looking to receive signals that the
U.S. would improve relations with Poland. Klich told all
three U.S. vendors that without a "warming" on the part of
the U.S. Administration, Poland would take its business to
Europe and/or countries like Israel.
3. (C) Klich told the Boeing representative that the U.S.
was talking to Russia more than it was to Poland. He told
Raytheon that Poland would not consider purchasing Patriot
until a fully operational U.S. Patriot battery had arrived on
Polish soil (a view General Gagor reiterated two hours
later). Klich pointedly avoided other U.S. displays. Klich
walked up to the official U.S. display but did not
acknowledge the presence of the American officers there.
4. (C) COMMENT. Klich would be unlikely to issue such a
strong warning without clear guidance from FM Radoslaw
Sikorski and PM Donald Tusk. The GOP may feel that it has to
explore every avenue of communication -- in this case having
U.S. industry inform their affected U.S. Congressional
delegations (as Sikorsky Helicopter has already told us it
will do). Polish dissatisfaction with U.S. handling of the
delegation to the September 1 WWII anniversary in Gdansk
seems to have exacerbated concerns that have accumulated
during the past year. Polish grievances were diminished when
National Security Advisor Jones agreed to head the U.S.
delegation, and then held a productive meeting outside Gdansk
with Sikorski and other top MFA and MOD officials. However,
the Poles are still anxious to hold high-level consultations
with the U.S. that produce "more than words," according to FM
Sikorski. END COMMENT.
ASHE
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR GLANTZ, OSD FOR MITCHEL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2019
TAGS: PREL MAPP MARR PL
SUBJECT: POLISH DEFENSE MINISTER PLACES CONDITIONS ON
MILITARY PROCUREMENT FROM U.S.
Classified By: Political Counselor F. Daniel Sainz, for reasons 1.4 b a
nd d.
1. (C) SUMMARY AND COMMENT. While at the International
Defense Trade Show in Kielce August 31, Polish Defense
Minister Bogdan Klich pointedly told U.S. vendors that Poland
and the United States needed to improve their political
relationship, or Poland would look to Europe and other
suppliers such as Israel for its defense procurement needs.
Although Polish CHOD General Franciszek Gagor visited with
DOD representatives at the official U.S. display, Klich
seemed to purposely avoid contact with the official American
delegation. National Security Advisor Jones's September 1
meeting outside Gdansk with Foreign Minister Sikorski should
help reassure the Poles that high-level consultations are in
train, but the Poles will continue to press for deliverables.
END SUMMARY AND COMMENT.
2. (C) Over thirty U.S. vendors are represented at the
annual defense equipment show in Kielce, augmented this year
by a U.S. Army display on the 21st Century Soldier. During
his tour of the vendor pavilion, Minister Klich stopped at
Sikorsky Helicopters, Raytheon, and Boeing. At each booth he
delivered a similar message. He stressed that his
dissatisfaction was not about business or technology, but
about "this Administration's" policies towards Poland. Klich
said that the GOP was looking to receive signals that the
U.S. would improve relations with Poland. Klich told all
three U.S. vendors that without a "warming" on the part of
the U.S. Administration, Poland would take its business to
Europe and/or countries like Israel.
3. (C) Klich told the Boeing representative that the U.S.
was talking to Russia more than it was to Poland. He told
Raytheon that Poland would not consider purchasing Patriot
until a fully operational U.S. Patriot battery had arrived on
Polish soil (a view General Gagor reiterated two hours
later). Klich pointedly avoided other U.S. displays. Klich
walked up to the official U.S. display but did not
acknowledge the presence of the American officers there.
4. (C) COMMENT. Klich would be unlikely to issue such a
strong warning without clear guidance from FM Radoslaw
Sikorski and PM Donald Tusk. The GOP may feel that it has to
explore every avenue of communication -- in this case having
U.S. industry inform their affected U.S. Congressional
delegations (as Sikorsky Helicopter has already told us it
will do). Polish dissatisfaction with U.S. handling of the
delegation to the September 1 WWII anniversary in Gdansk
seems to have exacerbated concerns that have accumulated
during the past year. Polish grievances were diminished when
National Security Advisor Jones agreed to head the U.S.
delegation, and then held a productive meeting outside Gdansk
with Sikorski and other top MFA and MOD officials. However,
the Poles are still anxious to hold high-level consultations
with the U.S. that produce "more than words," according to FM
Sikorski. END COMMENT.
ASHE