Libyan rebels with captured tank; photo PAP/EPA Manu Brabo

A former foreign minister of Poland has insinuated that in keeping Poland out of the ‘no-fly zone’ bombing campaign against the Gaddafi regime, Prime Minister Donald Tusk is following a lead set by the Kremlin.

Poland's MPs have presented a united front with regards to Prime Minister Tusk's decision to keep Polish involvement in the Libyan crisis confined to humanitarian aid. However, former foreign minister Anna Fotyga of the conservative Law and Justice Party (PIS), allowed herself the opportunity to insinuate that Tusk was pandering to the Russians in doing so.

In an article published on the wpolityce.pl web site on Sunday evening, the former minister mocked Tusk, noting that the cancellation of his visit to London on Monday was logical, as “it could be embarrassing for our darling premier,” said Fotyga, given Prime Minister Cameron's strong backing of the military strikes against the Gaddafi regime.

Fotyga said that PM Tusk has aligned himself with the Russian camp, alluding to Moscow's declaration against military intervention.

“We can remind ourselves of this logical connection,” she concluded. “The announcement of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the position of Poland and the statements of its premier.”

Fotyga – Poland’s foreign minister between May 2006 and November 2007 - contrasted Tusk's stance with the that of the leader of her party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. “The president of Law and Justice has publicly expressed his opinion on this matter, saying that the international community is obliged to take direct action [against Gaddafi].”

Kaczynski himself has remained uncharacteristically quiet on the issue since Sunday, however, and politicians from various parties have been quick to distance themselves from Fotyga's remarks.

“Odd, astonishing and a testament to her ignorance,,” said Longin Pastiusiak from the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD).

Yesterday, in an interview with Polish Radio, Vice Chief of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, Robert Tyszkiewicz, stressed that Poland was already engaged in the Afghan conflict, and that Libya would be an excessive involvement for the nation’s military.

“Besides, we are about to begin the presidency of the European Union,” he added, 'and its members have differing opinions on the intervention.

Strikes Continue

This morning it was announced that Spanish planes would be joining the coalition's action in Libya.

Meanwhile, a US aircraft crashed this morning, but it has been reported that the crew managed to escape the scene.

Britain's Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey has insisted that only military targets are coming under fire in the current action and the strikes were not aimed against Gaddafi personally.

The regime in Tripoli has stepped its rhetoric against the rebels. A presenter on the pro Gaddafi television channel al-Libya , was filmed brandishing a gun, saying that he would fight to the last drop of his blood.

However, emigre Libyans insist that the majority of the country is anti-Gaddafi. (nh/pg)

Source: TVN, wpolityce.pl, PAP, BBC