Defence Minister Kodheli official visit to Poland

: Published: Friday, 03 October 2014 13:56

The Minister of Defence, Mrs. Mimi Kodheli is in Poland on a two-day official visit invited by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Poland, Mr. Tomasz Siemoniak. The visit is a part of the meetings Minister Kodheli is holding at the eastern borders of the Alliance.

During the visit, Mrs. Kodheli had a meeting with the Defence Minister of Poland, Mr. Tomasz Siemoniak. Minister Kodheli thanked her counterpart, Mr. Siemoniak, for the support of Poland to the Albania’s integration into NATO, and to the aspiration to join the European Union. Mrs. Kodheli also praised the assistance provided by Poland and the recognition of the new state of Kosovo, as well as for the integration of the Balkan region.

In this context, the Polish Defence Minister, Mr. Tomasz Siemoniak praised Albania’s role as a stability factor in the region. Both ministers expressed the need to intensify relations between the Armed Forces of the two countries in the field of education, training and cooperation with the Special Forces. They also focused on the latest geopolitical developments as the crisis in Ukraine, developments in Iraq and Syria, and Post-ISAF mission in Afghanistan.

Both defence ministers agreed to sign a new cooperation agreement in Defence. The Polish Minister, Mr. Tomasz Siemoniak accepted with pleasure the invitation of Defence Minister Kodheli to visit Tirana. The last meeting at the level of defence ministers between the two countries dates back to 2003.

During her stay in Warsaw, Minister Kodheli placed a wreath to the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, in honor of the fallen.
While on the first day of the visit, Mrs. Kodheli attended the exercise “Anaconda 14” where 12,500 troops of many allied countries were engaged.

Defence Minister Kodheli also met the President of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Bronisław Komorowski, the Chief of Defence of the Armed Forces of Poland, General Mieczysław Gocuł, and the Chief of Defence of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, General Petr Pavel.