For ages, the Poles and the French fought arm in arm for their freedom and security. Twenty years after the downfall of communism in Central Europe, and as a result of tearing down the Berlin wall, we are partners in the European Union and allies in NATO.   

A year ago, we have made a decision to establish a strategic partnership, which deals primarily with defense and security. Today, we have made a decision concerning the development of the mutual enterprise.

THE SECURITY CONTEXT

Our security matters are strictly interrelated. Any threat to basic security matters of one of the countries undermines the matters of the second. France and Poland are determined to join their efforts to improve the solidarity and obligation of mutual defense, stemming from the Washington D.C. treaty. We will also execute obligations connected with security, taken as part of the Lisbon treaty.

We stand in the face of similar challenges and we face them together. We declare the development of our military and civil abilities, and participation in operations conducted by the EU and NATO.

Common Security and Defense Politics - CSDP and NATO

We consider CSDP and NATO as complementing and reinforcing one another.

France and Poland declare their support for Europe in increasing its defense capabilities

The Presidency of France in the European Union initiated the reinforcement of Common Security and Defense Politics. The Polish Presidency in the EU in 2011 will continue this process, which will be additionally enriched, thanks to the resolutions of the Lisbon treaty. France will support Polish endeavors aiming at allowing the EU and its member countries for full participation in European, transatlantic and global security. A stronger European Union in the matter of security will also be a reliable partner for our allies in NATO, including the United States.

We declare the will to develop European security and defense capabilities by means of such actions, as:

a) The use of European marine forces for fighting smuggling, terrorism, proliferation, illegal immigration and piracy.

b) Increasing financial solidarity between member countries of the EU, in order to allow them to locate an increased amount of forces.

c) Supporting the implementation of the programs by the European Defense Agency, mainly those, in which we participate (fighting sea mines, unmanned flying objects, protection of armies and programmable radio), establishing cooperation as part of the European Air Transport Fleet, program of satellite observations MUSIS and enterprise, which increase the availability of helicopters for the needs of operations conducted by the EU and NATO and looking for new programs as part of the EDA.

d) with respect to orders, developing innovative solutions basing on common creation and utilization of resources, common purchases and specializations, particularly for the needs of operational support.

e) Developing the European technological-industrial base of the defense sector by enabling the use of a frame Program for research and technological development in the matter of defense.

f) Reinforcing the inter-operational properties by participation in field training.

g) According to experiences from EU operations and their further development, improving the ability of the EU to plan and conduct civil and military operations.

Stronger European defense, which is expressed by Common Security and Defense Politics, has crucial meaning for reinforcing the NATO and the role of Europeans in the Alliance. Poland approved of the French decision to take a rightful seat in the military structures of NATO. Poland and France confirm their support of article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which is the merit of the Alliance\'s solidarity. We will act for the improvement of safety in the XXI century by initiatives proper to the environment. We have made a decision to establish cooperation in order to:

a) Guarantee, that future strategic Concept of NATO will reinforce the transatlantic Alliance, common defense and input into general stability and collective security for the next years.

b) Transform the NATO, to make it a more effective organization, more efficient and better prepared for collective defense and to meet new challenges in the matter of security.

c) Maintain the Alliance\'s deterrent attitude, including the nuclear case. For this matter, independent French nuclear forces make impact in global deterring and security of the Alliance and Europe.

d) Maintain and reinforce the NATO\'s politics of "open doors" and continue the development of partnership policy.

We also support the development of NATO-Russia partnership by means of dialogue on the NATO-Russia forum and pragmatic cooperation where there is convergence of security matters.

OPERATIONS

The French and Polish armed forces are already engaged in operations conducted by the NATO and EU, such as operations in Congo and Chad, and in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Georgia.

The crisis in Afghanistan is, by far, our biggest challenge. We declare, the we will support the Afghani for as long as it is necessary, in order to deprive the terrorist of their shelters, and until the Afghani nation will be able to take over the responsibility for their own security.

In Georgia, the European Union Monitoring Mission plays a key role as a form of international presence in the area.

France and Poland support the role of the EU in international actions for fighting piracy, and, in particular, as part of Atlanta operations at the coast of Somalia. We also approve of actions for the reconstruction of national institutions in Somalia, including the EU engagement in training and equipping the Somalia government forces.

REINFORCED BILATERAL MILITARY COOPERATION

In order to improve the inter-operative properties of our armed forces:

a) We have increased officer exchange between our military schools as part of the initiative of the "military Erasmus".

b) We have tightened cooperation between our special forces by promoting mutual access to training programs.

c) We will develop industrial partnership concentrating main partners in the market of air defense, that is, MBDA on the French side, and RADWAR, PIT and BUMAR on the Polish side.

d) We will facilitate strategic industrial partnership between the French DCNS and Polish Navy shipyard, in order to modernize the capabilities of the navy.

Moreover, Poland notes the French project for the development of the European Early Warning System aiming at detecting fired missiles.

THE STRUCTURE OF EUROPEAN SECURITY

Providing security on our continent is a collective enterprise. Therefore, we support the process from Korfu, as part of the OSCE as a means for rebuilding trust. The Korfu process should facilitate the existing mechanisms in all three dimensions (political and military, economic and ecological, and human). We encourage all countries of the OSCE to implement them completely. During the meeting of ministers in Athens, we will pursue at gaining progress in preventing crises, control of conventional armament (including the implementation of the CFE regime) and reacting to new threats.

France and Poland will cooperate for reinforcing the role of the EU in solving the Russian-Georgian conflict. Poland guarantees France a successful engagement of the French Presidency in the EU, finalized with signing the agreement from 12 August 2008. Both countries will support the actions aiming at implementing its resolutions.

Bearing in mind, that the stability and well-being of this region has direct impact on the security of the EU, finding continual and just solutions to conflicts in southern Caucasus, basing on observance of the independence and territorial integrity of the countries of this region is a common enterprise of the entire EU.

NUCLEAR DETERRING, NON-PROLIFERATION AND DISARMAMENT

Responsible security policy acknowledging current and future threats will maintain nuclear deterring in the foreseeable future on a minimal level, according to strategic conditioning, only for defense purposes and preventing war. Our policy should also acknowledge the challenges brought by non-proliferation and disarmament obligations.

In the context of our ally and highest level of trust between France and Poland, we have decided to introduce the role of a nuclear deterrent in the present security environment for our bilateral dialogue.

In Particular, we will persistently support the review Conference for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, which should lead to increasing the authority of the treaty and the integrity of its three pillars.

Disarmament and armament control:

a) We will support the implementation of periodical actions in the European plan of action approved by the European Council in 2008.

b) We advocate the continuation of efforts by the Russian Federation and the United States, which aim at reaching agreement in the matter of further reduction of their nuclear arsenals. 

c) We think, that nuclear weapon, defined as tactical weapon, should be included in the process of disarmament.

d) We approve of international negotiations as part of the disarmament Conference in the matter of the Treaty concerning a ban on manufacturing fissile materials. We hope for imminent establishment of such ban. Before this happens, we call all interested countries to introduce a moratorium for creating fissile material for manufacturing nuclear weapons.

e) We apply for all countries to join negotiations concerning the treaty banning short and middle range surface - to - surface missiles. We will conduct regular consultations in this matter.

Non-proliferation:

a) In order to ensure common ways of reacting to global challenges to security, we declare fighting the process of spreading of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, and their transport systems.

b) We approve of the adoption of the Resolution of the UN Security Council no. 1887, which mobilizes the international community against weapons of mass destruction and is a milestone in the preparations to the review Conference of the treaty for non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

c) We will still engage in any Initiative concerning non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, which is still in important instrument of international actions aiming at fighting proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

d) We emphasize our common concern with more frequent actions by Iran for the proliferation, connected both with nuclear weapons, and their transport systems. The vision of Iran as a country possessing nuclear weapons is not acceptable for us.

e) We support efforts for solving the Iran nuclear problem diplomatically, with our engagement. At the same time, we will be ready to impose additional restrictive means, if Iran refuses to abide by their international obligations and the need to restore trust and transparency in their actions.

f) We will cooperate for the implementation of "New directions of the European Union for non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction" as part of the EU.

For ages, Poland and France played a significant role in the history of Europe. We are ready to act together for improving security on our continent and outside the continent. Today, Europe needs a vision based on solidarity, friendship and cooperation. As members of the EU and NATO, the most important pillars of European security, Poland and France want to be in the avant-garde, forming new ideas and solutions for the well-being of Europe.