Young Afghan military officers during a ceremony in Kabul 16 Febuary 2013. Photo: EPA/S. Sabawoon
Stanislaw Koziej's comments come in the lead-up to a two-day NATO meeting of defence ministers in Brussels (21-22 February), during which plans for future operations in Afghanistan will be discussed.
Speaking with the Polish Press Agency (PAP), Koziej reaffirmed that “after 2014, we do not anticipate that under any circumstances we could be involved in combat activities.”
Nevertheless, in line with an agreement signed by NATO ministers in October 2012, he stated that “we are expecting Polish participation in the NATO consulting and training mission in Afghanistan.
“However, a good, perhaps even a better idea would be to bring the Afghans to Poland and train them in our own centres,” he said.
“It's worth putting in more effort towards this end,” he said.
In Koziej's opinion, the training of Afghan staff officers, commanders and state administrators would be cheaper and safer if done in Poland.
As regards the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission, the US has itself stated that it aims to end its troops' involvement in combat operations by the end of 2014, but will continue to train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).
Polish forces have been stationed in Afghanistan since 2002, just months after the Taliban regime was compelled to abandon the capital, Kabul, in November 2001, under heavy attack from American forces.
To date, there have 38 Polish casualties, including one medic.
Last week, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that his country no longer needed foreign troops to protect the country, and he urged NATO forces to withdraw quickly. (nh)