Poland’s president, Lech Kaczynski, has left the country to pay a one-day visit to Afghanistan.
The information about the presidential trip has been kept secret until the very last moment for security reasons. In Kabul Kaczynski is to meet with his Afghan opposite number Hamid Karzai.
Poland participates in the peacekeeping mission of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
Currently in Afghanistan there are some 1600 Polish soldiers, but in mid-April the Polish Military Contingent will be increased to some 2000 to 2200 troops.
The Poles are responsible for the Ghazni province, which experts have predicted is likely to become very dangerous soon in connection with the presidential elections in Afghanistan, planned for August, as well as with the increased activities of the US army in neighbouring provinces.
Outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has estimated that 4,000 extra soldiers will be needed to secure Afghanistan's presidential poll, though, apart from the UK, US and Poland, participating countries in the multinational mission are reluctant to commit more troops in a combat capacity.
For Poland, committing more troops is difficult at a time when the Ministry of Defense is making cuts to its budget of up to 2 billion zlotys (601.5 million US dollars). The extra troop deployment will cost the government around 35.1 million zlotys. Savings will come from pulling out troops in other areas of the world, including Chad and Lebanon. (pg/jm)