Gazeta Wyborcza, 5 November 2009

In Paris today, the French President and Polish prime-minister will announce a common defence initiative for Europe. According to Gazeta Wyborcza, the Franco-Polish declaration will touch on subjects such as reform of the so-called EU Combat Groups, strengthening of civil capabilities (i.e. better reaction to natural disasters), and common European defence planning. The Donald Tusk and Nicolas Sarkozy plan also provides for a tightening of EU-NATO relations. Sources in the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs call this new initiative a repeat of Saint Malo 1998, but with Poland taking the place of Britain, given that David Cameron's Conservatives, most likely to take power in 2010, is unwilling to pursue the partnership with Paris in building a common defence programme. The seed for the Franco-Polish defence partnership was planted in July when the Polish Foreign Secretary Radosław Sikorski presented his plan to his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner. Tusk and Sarkozy will also sign a declaration on the EU energy policy.