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http://www.heraldsun.com/nationworld/14-269454.html Rumsfeld Lobbies Poland on Iraq By ROBERT BURNS : AP Military Writer Sep 23, 2002 : 1:58 pm ET -Asked whether Poland would provide political or military support for U.S. military action in Iraq, Kwasniewski's national security adviser, Marek Siwiec, said the Iraq discussion was taking place in the United Nations. "All I can say is that we are a very steadfast ally," he added. WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Monday enlisted the support of new NATO ally Poland in the Bush administration's campaign for United Nations action to disarm Iraq. Rumsfeld dismissed suggestions that the United States planned to intervene by itself in Iraq. "Trying to promote and perpetuate the concept of unilateralism is not on the mark," Rumsfeld told reporters after meeting with Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski at the presidential palace. "We certainly did discuss the subject of Iraq and the problem it poses for the United Nations," he said, "and the efforts that the United States and other friendly nations are making in the United Nations to find the appropriate way to have the U.N. resolutions enforced with respect to disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction." Asked whether Poland would provide political or military support for U.S. military action in Iraq, Kwasniewski's national security adviser, Marek Siwiec, said the Iraq discussion was taking place in the United Nations. "All I can say is that we are a very steadfast ally," he added. U.S. officials traveling with Rumsfeld said there was no intention, either in Monday's meetings with Polish leaders or in NATO meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, to seek allied support for military action. The aim, they said, is to press the U.N. Security Council for quick action to enforce the disarmament resolutions Iraq accepted at the end of the 1991 Gulf War. On the eve of a historic NATO meeting -- the first to be held on the soil of a former Soviet ally -- Rumsfeld was dogged by questions about troubling tension in U.S. relations with Germany. Rumsfeld criticized the anti-American tone of the German parliamentary election campaign. "I have no comment on the German elections outcome, but I would have to say that the way it was conducted was notably unhelpful," Rumsfeld told reporters. "And as the White House indicated, has had the effect of poisoning the relationship." Rumsfeld apparently was referring to comments by Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser, in Saturday's edition of The Financial Times newspaper. She was quoted as saying that the alleged comparison of Bush to Adolf Hitler by Germany's minister of justice had created a "poisoned" atmosphere. U.S. officials also were disturbed by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's emphatic opposition to American military action to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Rumsfeld said he had no plan to meet with Germany's defense minister during NATO meetings Tuesday and Wednesday in Warsaw. Rumsfeld will be meeting with several other NATO counterparts. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and is playing host to the alliance for the first time. The NATO meetings Tuesday and Wednesday are to address several institutional matters, including plans for adding new member countries, preparing for a meeting of NATO heads of government in November, streamlining NATO's command structure, improving ties with Russia, and considering a U.S. proposal for creating an always-on-call NATO force for short-notice operations. Also on the agenda at the NATO meeting Tuesday is the search for a successor to NATO member Turkey as leader of the international security assistance force that is keeping order in Kabul. Turkey's commitment expires in December. Rumsfeld wants another European country, possibly Germany, to take over. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! http://sbc.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
