The in-depth consultations covered a range of bilateral and multilateral strategic topics, including nonproliferation and disarmament, European security architecture, the NATO strategic concept, European arms control, and political aspects of the new U.S. European missile defense architecture. The two delegations also discussed Iran, and agreed on the importance of the U.S. and Poland working together to persuade Iran to bring its nuclear program into full compliance with the requirements of the United Nations Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The SCCG is a senior-level, recurring consultation between Poland and the United States, and is one of the fora for strategic consultations called for in the August 2008 U.S. – Poland Declaration on Strategic Cooperation.   The United States and Poland share a commitment to regular and wide-ranging strategic consultations with the goal of deepening our already close security relationship. 

The United States and the Poland also are pleased to announce the initialing of the Protocol adapting the U.S. - Poland Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement signed in August 2008.  This is the first agreement to implement the U.S. Phased Adaptive Approach for European missile defense. Upon entry into force, this agreement will be an important step in our countries’ efforts to protect our NATO Allies from the threat posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction. 

This agreement calls for the stationing of a U.S. land-based missile defense interceptor system in the Republic of Poland.  It follows Poland’s decision in October 2009 to host U.S. SM-3 land-based ballistic missile defense interceptors.  

In addition to deepening our bilateral strategic relationship, we strongly believe that our cooperation in this area will make a substantial contribution to NATO’s collective capability to counter existing and future threats in the 21st century, and will be an integral part of any future NATO-wide missile defense architecture.

As demonstrated by this agreement, the U.S. and Poland continue their leadership in NATO on missile defense and in other key strategic areas.

Piotr Paszkowski
Press Spokesman