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Pole Offers U.S. Talks on Troops New Government to Discuss Iraq Force

Posted on: Thursday, 13 October 2005, 12:00 CDT

By Brian Knowlton

The outgoing Polish president, Aleksander Kwasniewski, said here Wednesday that Polish troops a key element of the coalition forces would remain in Iraq at least through January, but that the United States would have to negotiate any extension with an incoming government.

Kwasniewski, a steadfast U.S. ally in the Iraq war, will step down following a runoff election Oct. 23 in Poland between two center-right candidates. Polish law barred him from a third term.

The question of the 1,500 Polish troops remaining in Iraq, whose presence is deeply unpopular among most Poles, drew little attention during the recent campaign.

Both candidates Donald Tusk, a free-market enthusiast, and his rival, Mayor Lech Kaczynski of Warsaw, who favors more social protections are considered pro-American. Their parties have suggested that Polish forces, despite an earlier plan to leave, could stay on in Iraq following a renegotiation of terms with the United States.

Poland broke with several of its European partners, notably France and Germany, in deciding to send troops to Iraq. Donald Rumsfeld, the U.S. defense minister, praised countries like Poland, Romania and Bulgaria as part of a more dynamic "new Europe," irritating those in the "old" countries.

But as casualties mounted in Iraq and Prime Minister Marek Belka narrowly survived a vote of confidence, he told Parliament last year that "we will not stay in Iraq an hour longer than is needed." Kwasniewski said Wednesday that "Poland wants the stabilization mission in Iraq to be a success and to complete it with success."

But he said he would not try to tie the hands of the incoming Polish government except to urge it to take President George W. Bush up on his invitation for the new defense and foreign ministers to come to Washington for talks.

The Polish elections come amid broad rethinking both in Poland and Europe over the correct balance between welfare state protections and a more open economy promising greater growth and fewer protections and as Germany was handing power from a left-of- center chancellor, Gerhard Schroder, to the conservative Angela Merkel.

Bush gave Kwasniewski a glowing send-off, saying: "Aleksander has helped to advance the cause of peace by advancing the cause of freedom."

"He has served as a mentor for new democracies in the neighborhood," the president continued. "He has proven that you can be a friend to the United States and a loyal member of the EU at the same time." After Bush's re-election, Kwasniewski offered effusive congratulations, calling the American president "a very decisive leader who is right, simply right" in the campaign against terrorism.

Source: International Herald Tribune

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