March 20, 2004

Guardian - Polish Leader Affirms Commitment in Iraq

[Poland's National Security Adviser, Marek] Siwiec said Kwasniewski's Thursday comment about being "misled" was meant to criticize intelligence failures in general, not Washington.

"It was not a complaint by Poland addressed to the United States," he said.

On Thursday, Kwasniewski told French reporters he felt "uncomfortable due to the fact that we were misled with the information on weapons of mass destruction," according to a transcript released by his press office.

He then told a separate news conference, "This is the problem of the United States, of Britain and also of many other nations."

...

"President Kwasniewski confirmed our further involvement in the Iraqi mission and that we will be there as long as needed, plus one day longer," Siwiec said.

The White House moved quickly to underline Poland's commitment, distributing a statement from the Polish embassy in Washington that cited "misinterpretations" of Kwasniewski's earlier remarks.