Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the NATO Secretary General is to pay a one day working visit to Warsaw today, Thursday.

The visit coincides with the recent 12th anniversary of Poland’s NATO accession on 12 March.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen will be meeting with President Bronislaw Komorowski with whom he will attend the opening of the 4th Forum on Euroatlantic Security in Warsaw.

The meeting is to focus on the analysis of the situation in NATO after the Lisbon summit, where the new NATO strategic concept was adopted. The concept envisages the construction of a NATO missile defence system and readiness to cooperate on this issue with Russia.

The document reconfirms that the territorial defence and mutual solidarity in case of attack are the major duties of NATO – points first made under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty which founded the Alliance in 1949.

The forum will be attended by defence ministers from Croatia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary.

While in Warsaw The Alliance secretary general will be meeting with the president, prime minister as well as representatives of the defence sector. Talks are to focus on NATO issues, the mission in Afghanistan as well as the conflict in Libya.

G8 shies away from no-fly zone in Libya

Meanwhile, Poland was obliged to watch from the sidelines Tuesday as the G8 meeting in Paris delivered its resolutions on the Libyan crisis.

Only France and the United Kingdom pushed forthrightly for the introduction of a no-fly zone in Libya. The remaining members drew back from the concept of any form of military intervention in the country.

However, judging by statements made by Warsaw last week, it appears that Poland is also against a NATO intervention in the country.

Russia, Germany and the U.S. were wary of the no-fly zone concept, likewise China, which has the right veto.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has already communicated in an interview that he intends to reward China, Russia and Germany with appealing oil contracts.

Gaddafi is now poised to launch an assault on the key city of Benghazi, the main rebel stronghold. Over the last week, rebel-controlled towns have fallen like dominoes in the face of the superior equipment of the Libyan army.
 
France’s foreign minister Alain Juppé said “we have missed a chance to restore the balance.” (ab/nh/jb)

Source: IAR/Reuters/Daily Telegraph (UK)