Poland promises military equipment for Afghanistan's Northern Alliance

Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski revealed yesterday that Poland intends to provide some of its obsolete military equipment to Afghanistan's Northern Alliance. Although the equipment itself will be offered as military aid, Poland will not cover the cost of transportation. According to Szmajdzinski, the consignment could by financed by the US. The Defense Minister refused to give any details of the kind of equipment to be supplied. However, Gazeta Wyborcza points out that it is common knowledge Poland wants to get rid of 500 T-55 tanks, a model that is already in use in Afghanistan. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 5) A.Z.