Signing of the agreement regarding the placement in Poland of anti-ballistic defensive missile interceptors as well as the adoption of a Polish-US declaration of strategic cooperation

On 20 August 2008 in Warsaw, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, and US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, signed the

Agreement

between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the United States of America regarding the placement in Poland of anti-ballistic defensive missile interceptors and adopted a
Declaration regarding strategic cooperation
between the Republic of Poland and the United States of America. These documents constitute an important step in the development and intensification of strategic cooperation between both countries.

The agreement is of a legally binding character and will be ratified in Poland with the Sejm’s consent expressed in an act of parliament. It constitutes the basis to build a Base in Poland on which 10 non-nuclear missile interceptors will be deployed. They will be part of the global Missile Defense (MD) system of the United States. Issues regarding the status of US Armed Forces in Poland and mutual scientific, technical, economic and industrial cooperation will be regulated in separate understandings, negotiations about which shall soon be commenced by both parties.

The Agreement signed today contains a preamble, 19 articles, one appendix and a map of the Base. The Agreement sets out the legal foundations for the creation and operation of the Base in Poland. The Agreement also regulates issues such as: (1) rules for the construction and maintenance of the Base in which the missile interceptors will be deployed; (2) command of the Base, including the division of competencies on the Base between Polish and American commanders; (3) regulations for using the Base by US forces; (4) rules for access to the Base; (5) cooperation between Polish and US bodies regarding the security of the Base; (6) rules for using the missile interceptors deployed on the Base; (7) protection of the environment, health and human life; (8) financial obligations resulting from the Agreement for both parties; (9) responsibility connected with using the system.

The grounds of the Base will remain Polish property – Poland retains sovereign rights over its area. The Base will be available to the American party for the purposes of the Agreement. Polish law will apply on the Base. The Base will be under Polish command, and a Polish army unit will be permanently present on its grounds. Furthermore, the Polish commander of the Base will have access to all of its zones. Poland will also establish the procedure for access to the Base.

The Agreement places a duty on the United States to ensure the security of Poland and its defence in the event of a ballistic missile attack with the help of the whole US missile defence system. It also contains a duty for the USA to prepare, in cooperation with Poland, an eventuality plan, setting out the actions that will be undertaken in the event of a threat to the security of the Base. Furthermore, the Agreement ensures Poland’s participation in the process of preparing the rules for using the missile defence system and defines the scope of data that Poland will receive from the whole system (on a level equal to that of other Allies cooperating as part of the system with the USA).

The Agreement is an important part of the efforts that Poland, the United States and our NATO allies are undertaking for defence against growing threats. It also adds a new type of weapon to Poland’s defensive system. The deployment in Poland of American missile interceptors strengthens and complements the existing security cooperation between Poland and the USA and contributes to the maintenance of international peace and security. It is also the intention of both parties that these installations in the future be connected to the NATO missile defence system, a strong impulse towards the construction of which were the decisions taken at the summit of member states of the North Atlantic Alliance in Bucharest in April 2008.

Political declaration

The political declaration confirms the obligation of the United States of America to ensure the security of Poland and all American facilities placed on its territory. The parties also obligate themselves to joint action against military and non-military threats from third parties.

In connection with growing and newly appearing threats, Poland and the United States recognise that the missile defence system, including the missile interceptor base in Poland, provides an essential defensive capability to both countries and to other NATO allies against long-range missiles. The security of Poland, the United States and the North Atlantic area is thereby increased.

The United States have, furthermore, confirmed their engagement in support of Polish efforts to modernise its armed forces, and equally their intention to continue doing so. They have assured that they will place a battery of Patriot missiles in Poland, and by 2012 at the latest they will establish a garrison for it, which will ensure its permanent presence and its uninterrupted service by the American party.

Poland and the United States have also confirmed their engagement in promoting mutual cooperation in defence, research and technology industries regarding weaponry, detailing the fields of cooperation in these areas.

Piotr Paszkowski
MFA Press Spokesman

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