Text of the Declaration on Strategic Cooperation Between the United States of America and the Republic of Poland

In Warsaw on August 20, 2008, the Secretary of State and the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Poland agreed to issue the following Declaration:

The United States of America (the United States) and the Republic of Poland (Poland) share a history of close ties between our people and our values, a commitment to democracy, a close defense relationship, and a willingness to confront common dangers and threats.

We believe that the development of durable and long-term strategic cooperation will increase the security of the United States and Poland, as well as the security of the North Atlantic area. The cornerstone of the U.S.-Poland security relationship is the solidarity embodied in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which provides that an armed attack against one NATO country shall be considered an armed attack against them all. The United States and Poland recognize the importance of enhancing their individual and collective national security by working within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the United Nations, and other international organizations, consistent with the United Nations Charter and international law.

Within the context of, and consistent with, both the North Atlantic Treaty and the U.S.-Poland strategic partnership, the United States is committed to the security of Poland and of any U.S. facilities located on the territory of the Republic of Poland. The United States and Poland will work together to counter emerging military or non-military threats posed by third parties or to minimize the effects of such threats. The increased strategic cooperation described herein would enhance the security of the United States and Poland.

Today, both nations face a growing threat from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and associated delivery systems. Missile defenses, including an interceptor base in Poland, provide a necessary and critical capability that can be used to defend both nations, and other NATO Allies, from long-range missile threats, thus enhancing the security of the United States, Poland, and the North Atlantic area.

Cooperation on missile defense strengthens the strategic partnership between the United States and Poland. Both nations believe that such cooperation will bring long-term mutual benefits for their security relationship.

The United States and Poland plan to conclude a number of bilateral agreements that are intended to enhance defense and security cooperation between the United States and Poland.

The United States and Poland intend to enhance their security through cooperation in the following areas:

Political-Military Cooperation

In pursuit of this shared vision of broader and deeper U.S.-Poland strategic cooperation, the United States and Poland decided that the Strategic Cooperation Consultative Group (SCCG) will serve as the primary mechanism for furthering the U.S.-Poland strategic relationship. The SCCG will be composed of senior representatives from the Department of State and Department of Defense in the United States, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Defense in Poland. The SCCG will meet regularly or upon the request of the United States or Poland and may establish working groups such as the High-Level Defense Group (HLDG). The SCCG complements the work being done in other areas, including the existing U.S.-Poland Strategic Dialogue and Joint Staff Talks. In addition to cooperation on missile defense, for the purpose of strengthening mutual defense cooperation between the United States and Poland within the framework of Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty, the United States and Poland intend, through the SCCG, to:

• Consult regarding the security of the United States and Poland, and provide each other relevant information in this area in order to make evaluations and recommendations to both countries" competent authorities regarding appropriate actions;
• Consult on important new initiatives that could be discussed in NATO;
• Consult on the use and development of the U.S. missile defense system, recognizing that this system contributes to the defense of the United States and Poland as well as their allies;
• Work to strengthen the operational capabilities of their respective Armed Forces, thereby enhancing contributions to the Alliance and its effectiveness. In furtherance of this objective, the United States will endeavor to assist Poland in transforming and modernizing its Armed Forces;
• Explore opportunities to provide defense equipment and related materials, in accordance with each country"s laws and regulations, with the purpose of improving the interoperability, sustainability, and deployability of Poland"s Armed FForces;
• Cooperate to transfer defense equipment, services, training, and other assistance to Poland, in accordance with each country"s laws and regulations;
• Develop and strengthen capabilities to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism;
• Support joint and combined exercises and exchanges;
• Collaborate in multinational operations when it is in the common interest of the United States and Poland;
• Cooperate with Poland in its effort to refine its defense acquisition process;
• Conduct political/military exchanges that support and extend security cooperation;
• Periodically review the implementation of agreements between the United States and Poland related to the security of both countries; and
• Address other areas of mutual interest. The United States and Poland intend to expand air and missile defense cooperation. In this regard, we have agreed on an important new area of such cooperation involving the deployment of a U.S. Army Patriot air and missile defense battery in Poland. We intend to begin this cooperation next year and to expand it with the aim of establishing by 2012 a garrison to support the U.S. Army Patriot battery. The Government of Poland intends to provide an appropriate site, infrastructure, and facilities for this garrison acceptable to both parties. Our cooperation in this area will include joint training opportunities that will enhance Polish air defense capabilities. In the coming months, we intend to reach agreement on the specific arrangements that will enable this cooperation to begin. These steps reflect the commitment of the United States to an expanded defense relationship with Poland.

The United States remains committed to assist Poland with the modernization of its Armed Forces. The United States and Poland have conducted extensive discussion regarding threats facing Poland, the current capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces, and shortfalls in that respect. The joint Defense Modernization Working Group has made a significant effort in order to address these issues. The United States recognizes that this assistance will strengthen Poland"s contributions to the NATO Alliance and facilitate strategic cooperation between the United States and Poland. Poland acknowledges and appreciates the important assistance provided by the United States in the past to Polish military modernization efforts. The United States intends to provide substantial assistance to support Poland"s military modernization efforts in the future.

Information Sharing

The United States and Poland recognize that countering new challenges and threats to international security, especially from terrorism and the proliferation of WMD, requires closer cooperation on information sharing. For the purpose of strengthening defense cooperation between the United States and Poland within the framework of Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty, the United States intends to:

• Provide missile defense situational awareness to Poland;
• Provide information regarding threat assessments associated with U.S. military facilities, assets, and personnel present on the territory of Poland;

Establish a process for Poland to request information from the United States that pertains to intelligence or warning/threat information associated with U.S. military facilities, assets, and personnel present on the territory of Poland.

Defense Industrial and Research and Technology Cooperation

The United States and Poland are committed to promoting defense industrial and research and technology armaments cooperation between both nations. In this regard, both nations recognize the importance of strict enforcement of export laws, regulations, and policies for defense goods, services, and technology and compatible industrial security practices. Both nations intend to identify projects that may be candidates for cooperative research, development, production, or procurement. Both nations recognize that cooperative research, development, production, and procurement enable sharing of technology and foster interoperability among the armed forces of both nations, which are committed to joint and coalition operations. Both nations further recognize that technology, research, and development are indispensable for maintaining an effective defense industrial base and therefore recognize the need to use the limited resources available for governmental defense-related research and development in an efficient and effective manner. Both nations intend to seek opportunities to:

1. Explore joint investments in the field of industrial security and defense technology;
2. Support and develop research and development activities in the field of defense technology;
3. Support the development of deeper industrial and technological cooperation, in accordance with each country"s respective laws and regulations;
4. Develop, negotiate, and conclude international agreements to support industrial and research and technology armaments cooperation consistent with national policies; and
5. Additionally, as part of expanded defense-related industrial cooperation, the United States and Poland intend to conclude a Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Framework Agreement to enable the parties to explore opportunities for cooperative research, development, testing, and evaluation, including industry-to-industry cooperation, related to ballistic missile defense systems.

The United States has concluded such agreements with a limited number of close allies. The BMD Framework Agreement is intended to enable both countries to continue to expand the important missile defense cooperation being undertaken through the bilateral agreement to base missile defense interceptors in Poland.