US decision on permanent military base in Poland likely in autumn
A decision on establishing a permanent US military base in Poland is likely to be made this autumn, Poland's deputy foreign minister said on Tuesday, as Warsaw seeks to expand the American military presence on its territory.
Marcin Bosacki told public broadcaster Polish Radio that talks on the technical aspects of such a decision between Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Washington have been underway for several months.
According to Bosacki, the outcome will depend not only on whether the US selects Poland as the site for a permanent base, but also on the broader review of the US military presence in Europe, which Washington has indicated will be scaled back.
"This decision is likely to be made in the autumn," Bosacki said. "We believe that, both from a strategic perspective and given the current state of political relations, the chances of establishing this base are quite high."
If approved, the base would be built in western Poland and fully financed by Polish funds, he added.
Poland has long sought to convert the US military presence in the country from a rotational deployment to a permanent one. In June, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said the Pentagon had given preliminary approval to Warsaw's proposal and was conducting a "force review" before making a final decision.
In mid-July, Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk announced that the ministry would establish a negotiating team to work with US officials on the details of creating a permanent military base in Poland. (PAP)
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