Thank you for putting forward the offer for the Minister of National Defence to extend Honorary Auspices over the 11^th edition of the BALT-MILITARY-EXPO Baltic Military Fair, June 23-25, 2010 in Gdańsk. The subject matter, the nature, the international dimension and prestige of this cyclical event make me consider such auspices to be both an honour and a distinction to Poland’s Ministry of National Defence.

I am pleased that the difficult matters of maritime safety, which cover not only its military aspect, have found such excellent spokespersons in the organisers of the Baltic Military Fair. The extensive agenda of BALT-MILITARY-EXPO allows us to draw the public’s attention to the vast spectrum of issues  related to the safety, security and responsibility in using the treasure that is the sea – first and foremost the Baltic Sea, which is closest to us. I am also happy that the subject of the upgrading and development of the Polish Navy has found a prominent place among other important topics; in my view, military security is the primary condition for the development of the coastal area and therefore the actual starting point in the discussion on other aspects of safety and security at sea and on the coast.

I wish you both for the 11th BALT-MILITARY-EXPO Baltic Military Fair to gather a record-breaking number of exhibitors and visitors and once again to become an important forum for international exchange of experience and discussions on broadly-understood maritime security.

                                                                                                                                                Bogdan KLICH