Outgoing NATO secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer is paying a visit to Warsaw as part of Poland’s celebrations commemorating ten years membership of the alliance.

The NATO head is to meet with Polish president Lech Kaczynski, Prime Minister Donald Tusk as well as Defence Minister Bogdan Klich and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

The door to NATO is always open to new members, Scheffer assured in his speech at the Transatlantic Forum at the University of Warsaw, Friday morning.

Scheffer added that the entrance of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary to NATO ten years ago meant that Europe was no longer divided and faced a new future.

“The acceptance of these countries proves that mistakes have been corrected and that the enlargement creates a sphere of mutual European security.”

“Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary integrated deeply into the Organization and their voices have been heard and heard the whole time,” stated the Secretary General.

“We are not allowed to forget that we are all united in the fight against terrorism,” he told the audience.

Regarding NATO reinstating relations with Russia, following the freeze after Russia started the conflict with Georgia, Scheffer highlighted the fact that it is not an option not to have bi-lateral relations.

“Despite talking about it, having no relations is not an option that we even took into account.”

This April, Scheffer is stepping down from the post of secretary general. Among his possible successors is Radosław Sikorski, though recent reports suggest that the Polish candidate will not get the necessary support from France, Germany and the UK.

Meanwhile, a poll by TNS OBOP finds that 59 percent of Poles believe that NATO provides Poland with string military support at times of external threats.

Some 32 percent are convinced, however, that Poland won’t receive any help after all. (mmj/jm/pg)

Source: PAp