5780447585

154    Marcin SarutAtk

prcccdcd by tbc panicipation of a Polisb contingent in 1FOR (Impłcme* tation Forcc). The dutics of Ihc Polish hattalion (POLBN) comprisc ciuurifl| the safety of personncl. supemung the battalion^łs arca of rcsponsibćlity, primarily in ihc /one of separation, counteracting any infringements of the Dayton peacc accords, cnfordng freedom of movcmcnt, inspccting the dcclarcd arca of deployincnt of military forces and wcapons and miliury oąuipmcnt storage sites, and liasing with the Civil-Military Co-operation Centrę (CIMIC).* Polish contribution to 1FOR achicvcd 931 sokliers, and to SFOR 3260 soldicrs.⁴¹

AFOR in 1999 Polish soldicrs complctcd the humanitarian missioo oo the territory of Albania within the multinational NATO forces (AFOR)l The contingcnt was madę up of 140 soldiers from the 21* Podhale Rifle Brigadc from Rzeszów as wcll as pcrsonnel of the Forcc’s Command. Iti main duty was the dcfcncc of the NATO Forces headquarters in Albanii and protccting humanitarian convoys.

KFOR - the partidpation of the Polish Military Unit in the Internationa Forcc in Kosovo bas bccn the ncxt major experience for the Polish Anned Forces. It providcd an opportunity to enhance the compatibility of another unit of the Polish Armed Forces with NATO allied armics in the field of command and control proceduro*, improvcmcnt of linguistic skills and dirtet co-opcration in a battlcficld cnvironmcnt. The mandatory tasks of KFOR comprisc monitoring, verifying and, if ncccssary, cnforcing compliance by the warring parties with the provisaons of the Military-Technical Agrceracnt, supporting activities relatcd to providing humanitarian aid to the iool population, maintaining and, if ncccssary, cnforcing public order, and supporting the activitics of the local administration. These tasks arc perfor-med by: supcrvision of border chcckpoints; reconnaissancc of roads and sites of permanent chcckpoinu, day and night-time patrols, particularly in buill-up arc as. maintaining permanent checkpoints oo roads and borda crossings and in towns, bomb disposal; and the sweeping by sappen of buildings designated for the accommodation of troops.^c

In addition KFOR has also providcd. in a manner that docs not collide with the performance of its mandatory tasks, assistancc to the activitiet ia its arca of opcrational responsibility of Polish non-govcmmcntal organhi-tions, such as Polish Humanitarian Action or Caritas Polska, and establishod vcry close co-opcration with thero. Practice has coofirmcd that direct ¹

distribulion of humanitarian aid to the warring Albanian and Serb com-aunities by Polish soldicrs makes u casicr to carry out opcrational tasks ud defusc the fairly frcqucnt tlarc-ups of tcnsions and conflict situations.⁴¹

Poland is also activcły cooperating. within Nato structures, with its oeighbours, in form of establishment of Polish-Ukrainian (POLUKRBAT) ud Polish-Lithuanian (LITPOLBAT) Pcace Forcc Batalion*. Legał hasis for its crcation was givcn in Agreement signed on 15* Junc 1993 herween the Ministry of National Dcfcncc of Rcpublic of Poland and ihc Ministry of National Protcction of the Lithuanian Republic conccrning the establishment of mutual military coopcration (LITPOLBAT) and Agrccmcnt bctwceo the Republic of Poland and Ukrainę conccrning establishment of a joint aait for parlicipauon in intcrnational peacc-keeping and humanitarian opc-ntions under the auspices of intcrnational organizations signed on 26* Novembcr 1997 (POLUKRBAT). On 31‘ of December 1998 LITPOLBAT reached the readiness to do tasks in pcacc-kccping raissions, and on 14* April 1999 it has been givcn the banner from Polish and Lithuanian Prcsidents. Kesrly 800 soldicrs scrve in the batlalion (435 Polish and 351 Lithuanian). The kcy stafT posilions will be tak en up by rotation. POLUKRBAT was uscd ia operation in Kosovo, and it consists of 545 Polish and 267 Ukrainian sokiiers. For the duration of tbe Kosovo mission a platoon of Lithuanian soldicrs was also incorporatcd into the battalion. Its tasks indude ensuring security of the population mhabiting in the subordinatc arca as wdl members of humanitarian organizations, coopcration with the Supremę Commissioner for Rcfugecs, providing protcction of major facilities, border crossings, roads, bridges, viaducts and continuous patrol* ovcr the subordinate arca.

Following Polish unit* havc bccn set asidc to NATO:

Land Forces:

-    10'* Armourcd Cavalry Brigadc named after General of the service St. Maczek from Swictoszowo,

-    10“ Logistical Brigadc from Opole.

-    4* Anti-aircraft Regiment from Czerwieńsk.

-    16* Airhornc Battalion from Kraków,

-    I8*h Airbornc Battalion from Bielsko-Biała. Two Helicopter aerial fleets from the 66* Helicopter Wing from Glinik near Tomaszów Mazowiecki. Iwo squadrons from the 7" Lublin Uhlans Unit from Tomaszów Mazowiecki.

Polish navy:

- the submarinc ORP "Orzeł" from the 3"¹ Flotilla of Ships from Gdynia.

- the corvclte ORP "Kaszub" from the 3¹ Flotilla of Ships from Gdynia,

° Ibidem.

1

Ser F. Kochanowski, Panicipation of the PołóM .Armed Forces m Peactkttfóą Matians m the Mmetki, source w»w *pr«m?TO*U/ynŁT<xJcwe pJ/y«xrbook/2000 frauawek ko cbunowiki ptrDapnlion of ihc pofcth irmod.forcrt.hticl.

"Sof m i sourcc fot thift mformtuoo "Polacy w thiżbn pokoju 1953-20W." www unic.un org pl.^misjepoko^we.pl^cp.php. ^a Set F. Kochinowikk of. rti.