U.S.-Poland Meet to Discuss Status of Forces Implementing Agreement

15 May 2007

Representatives of Poland and the United States met in Warsaw on May 14 to discuss a Status of Forces Implementing Agreement, a key element that would lay the groundwork for basing a European component of a U.S. missile defense system on Polish soil.  The U.S. negotiating team was headed by Ambassador Robert Loftis, the State Department’s Senior Advisor for Security Negotiations and Agreements.  Ambassador Victor Ashe characterized the meeting as a “good beginning, with an exchange of ideas and philosophies on how the negotiations should move forward.”  The discussions focused on status of forces issues, which generally involve legal, taxation, customs and other issues regarding the property and personnel associated with the presence of U.S. forces abroad.  Formal negotiations on missile defense will open on May 24 in Warsaw, and will be led by John Rood, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Security.