Poland proposes new EU army linked to NATO

London, Nov 6: Poland has proposed the creation of a 100,000-strong European Union army tied to NATO to respond to trouble anywhere in the world or to defend Europe, President Lech Kaczynski told the Financial Times.

''At the moment we have the situation where the EU needs about 8,000 troops in Lebanon and there is a problem where to find them,'' Kaczynski said in an interview published today.

''Forces are needed which would not replace the armies of individual states, but which could be gathered without a problem when not just 8,000 but as many as 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers are needed.'' The president said he hoped to discuss the matter with British Prime Minister Tony Blair during a trip to Britain, which starts today.

Kaczynski said he had spoken twice about it to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and his brother, Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, had raised the issue with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on a visit to Berlin last week.

The FT reported, however, that the proposal had caused some confusion as Jaroslaw Kaczynski on Friday denied having mentioned the matter to Merkel, whose country takes over the rotating EU presidency in January.

Turning to other topics, Lech Kaczynski said he thought the EU should remain a union of countries not a federation.

He also said, if pushed, Poland would stand up for itself against other members of the bloc.

''I know that it is very uncomfortable in the union to be alone but that does not mean we are afraid of that,'' he said.

Reuters