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Poland welcomes increased British military presence | Poland welcomes increased British military presence |
(35 minutes later) | |
WARSAW, Poland — Polish and British defense officials say there are plans for a stronger British military presence in Poland to reassure members on NATO’s eastern flank concerned about Russia’s resurgence. | |
But Warsaw and London are giving mixed messages on the exact nature of Britain’s involvement. | |
Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said in a broadcast late Thursday that there will be a “permanent presence” of some 1,000 British troops in Poland starting next year. | Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said in a broadcast late Thursday that there will be a “permanent presence” of some 1,000 British troops in Poland starting next year. |
But Britain’s Ministry of Defense said Friday that Britain will send 1,000 troops to exercises in Poland this year and 1,000 to join a Polish-led NATO high-readiness task force in 2020. The task force will be led by a different NATO country every year, so the British commitment to Poland would just be for 2020. | But Britain’s Ministry of Defense said Friday that Britain will send 1,000 troops to exercises in Poland this year and 1,000 to join a Polish-led NATO high-readiness task force in 2020. The task force will be led by a different NATO country every year, so the British commitment to Poland would just be for 2020. |
Macierewicz’s comments came after he held talks in Edinburgh with British Defense Minister Michael Fallon and the two declared their cooperation in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. | |
Poland, a former Soviet satellite state, has been seeking a greater presence of NATO troops on its soil in light of Russian actions in Ukraine, and hopes to achieve new commitments at a NATO summit in Warsaw in July. | |
Fallon, in an interview with Polish state media Wednesday, said Britain plans to increase the number of troops it sends regularly to Poland. | |
“We are looking at a more persistent presence in Poland, so there is almost a continuous rotation of British army units in Poland and visits by our ships,” Mallon said. | |
Attempts by the AP to get further details Friday from the Polish Defense Ministry were unsuccessful. | |
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Jill Lawless in London contributed. | |
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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