Some are actually happening as we speak. For example, our Polish division’s command and control abilities, new equipment, that is the part of modernization of the Polish armed forces. They’are gaining the invaluable experience in Iraq. I mean that will be a very valuable input for the powerful development of the Polish armed forces. Second, of course, we are very interested in reconstructing Iraq economically.We have a big tradition of economic involvement in Iraq in the past. Around 40,000 engineers and workers worked in Iraq in 1970’s and 1980’s up to the first gulf war.

So there is a tradition of Poles being perceived by Iraqis as those who built bridges, power plants, people who helped to develop this country from third world status to a much more modern economy. And now we would like to heavily invest in the area of Iraqi reconstruction. So we want our military presence, which we think will serve the future development of free and democratic Iraq. We want this presence accompanied very strongly by our civilian presence, our NGO’s, humanitarian activity, our economic enterprises, cooperation with other Gulf states and the United States, getting contracts for improving different areas of tragical Iragi social and economic system.(...)

September 11 is a watershed in the contemporary history. And I think that the actions have been carried out by Poland in support of the United States have stemmed largely from the same feelings after September 11 as was the case with the American people and your government. We see the world which is full of dangers, the world which is unstable, and therefore, I think that the civilized nations should join together and do whatever they can to stem the stand of impending chaos. There are many phases and smaller events during this long-term struggle to eradicate the menace of terrorism. As President Bush said two days ago, Iraq is now the center. And we agree with him. (...)

To give the sense of the size of the Polish effort, despite the sizable support of the United States for this operation, comparatively speaking our expenditure for the Iraqi operation amounts about $30 to 40mln, again related to our military expenditures. So this is a lot of sacrifice involved on the part of Poland. We have to think about the Middle East and the greater Middle East. As I said, when Poland started its process of becoming an independent member of the western family of nations, we had this great adventage of Europe and America expecting us to join. We had our directions. We know where to go. There was a powerful pull by those countries. And this was not about joining in political sense, military sense, but in sense of values, in terms of standards and economic space. And I believe that every and each of the Middle Eastern countries has its own set of problems with modernization and its neighbors. At the same time this is an area which needs to be seen as a hole. And Iraq, Iraqui operation and hopefully a good result of remaking this country to a new country that belongs to Iraqi people will help to improve the overclimate, political, social climate in the Middle East. Hopefully thare will be a spillover of this to other troubled parts of the Middle East. That is a positive, optimistic scenario that is not necessarilly going to happen. But I hope for the future of the Iraqi people that they can live in the environment that is conducive to reforms, democracy and human rights. We know this is going to be a long process and that not all conditions in the area are ripe to make such a giant leap into the future. But certainly definitly Poland is there with other coalition members to help Iraqis with this effort.(...)

Poland proudly wants to belong to this group of countries that want to take an active role in trying to make the world a little bit less dangerous and little bit better. It requirs some activism, sacrifices and teaming togethet with those countries who, as the United States in first place, lead the world in this direction. And we are willing to support this effort.