photo - EPA/PAP Maurizio Gambarini

Zbigniew Brzezinski, a former US national security advisor, has criticised the passive stance of Germany and Poland towards the current military intervention in Libya.

Warsaw and Berlin have both refused to take part directly in the now NATO-led mission.

The former National Security Advisor to President Carter, whose father was Polish Consul General in Montreal prior to the Communist takeover of Poland, made the remarks in an interview with international broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Whilst acknowledging the sensitive nature of Germany's military heritage, Brzezinski nevertheless argued that Berlin had made “an unfortunate decision”, by abstaining from the UN vote on a no-fly-zone in Libya.

“It seems to me that the crisis involving Libya is a crisis that provides the West with a rather unique opportunity for united action,” he said.

“I would have been more pleased if Germany had chosen to be in some fashion part of it, even if not necessarily a direct military participant.”

Likewise, Brzezinski did not shy away from criticising Poland's stance.

“I feel the same way about the somewhat passively neutral stand that Poland has taken on this issue,” he said, acknowledging his “obvious” personal reasons for taking an interest in Polish policy.

From the outset, Poland justified its lack of military participation in Libya as due to the fact that Polish troops were already serving in Afghanistan.

Similarly, Robert Tyszkiewicz, the Vice Chief of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, expressed that Poland's EU status also affected the decision.

“We are about to begin the presidency of the European Union,” he stressed in an interview with Polish Radio, “and its members have differing opinions on the intervention.”

Brzezinski concluded by saying that it is “up to the Germans themselves to decide what they feel collective security implies regarding their stand and their engagement.” (mh/pg)