Cities of Slupsk, Poland and Huntsville, Alabama Open Partnership Prior to Polish...

Cities of Slupsk, Poland and Huntsville, Alabama Open Partnership Prior to
Polish Prime Minster Tusk's Visit to Missile Defense Site
INTRODUCTION: Riki Ellison Chairman and Founder of MDAA,
(http://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org ) was in Slupsk, Poland this past week
on the forefront of the Polish Prime Minster, Mr. Donald Tusk's first visit to
the Slupsk Region in Northern Poland this Friday, since the signing of the
Missile Defense agreement with the United States. His comments and
observations of the need for public education is evident in this article
written in Poland by Ellison.

SLUPSK, Poland. Aug. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Last Friday, the City
of Huntsville, Alabama, represented by Mayor Loretta Spencer and members of
her community, opened city to city, business to business, citizen to citizen
and university to university partnerships with the city of Slupsk, Poland, led
by Mayor Maciej Kobylinski, the President of the City Council, Mr. Zdzislaw
Solowin, and community members. Both communities were able to formally
initiate their partnerships, mutual interests and engage openly with each
other on a video conference hosted by the mayors from their respective town
hall offices.
Participating members of the video conference included the President of
the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Dr. David Williams, the Vice Rector
of the Pomeranian Academy in Slupsk, Mr. Anthony Drapella, the President of
the City Council of Slupsk, Mr. Zdzislaw Solowin, the Chairman of the Chamber
of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, Mr. Evans Quinlivan, Mr. Bartosz
Gwozdz-Sproketowski, Director of Economic Impact Department of Slupsk, Dr.
Ruth Yates, Assistant Superintendent of the Huntsville City Schools and Mr.
Vladyslaw Pedziwiatr, Chancellor of Hanzeatic Academy.
"This strategic partnership follows the grander international relationship
between Poland and the United States that was formalized in an agreement
signed on Wednesday August 20th, 2008 which strengthens both countries
national security and protection of their sovereign territory. International
partnerships made at the local and highest levels mixed with personal
relationships build trust and mutual benefits that make life prosperous for
the citizens of both countries," stated Riki Ellison.
"Slupsk and its nearby region will be host to the US 10 two-stage ground-
based defensive interceptors site that was agreed upon between Poland and the
United States. Huntsville, Alabama has the most prominent engineering
community for missile defense technology in the United States."
The Prime Minster of Poland, Mr. Donald Tusk, is set to meet the Polish
public in the Slupsk Region and its nearby communities this Friday. He will
present information on what Poland has agreed to with the United States, and
how it will affect the community that will be surrounding the US defensive
missile site.
The local Slupsk Community lead by Mayor Maciej Kobylinski and Town Mayor
Mariusz Chmielare awaiting Prime Minster Tusk's comments and his explanation
as they have been seeking dialogue with him since the negotiations began
between the two countries. The Polish public in the local area wants and needs
validation and information from the Polish Government at the highest levels
from this agreement. Information about the direct and indirect impacts that
the defensive missile site will cause throughout the region, covering a broad
range of areas to include safety, US presence and economic impact is paramount
to the Polish public's support for the system being located there.
The Czech Republic, who recently agreed to host the US European Midcourse
Radar (EMR) last month, and the United States who both have been forthcoming
and open with information to the Czech public about the EMR that will be
deployed in the Bryd Region of the Czech Republic. The Czech Government as
well as the United States have had many briefings for the communities
throughout their negotiation and after their agreement was signed. The Czech
government, in addition, provided federal compensation for local
infrastructure projects that would be affected throughout those villages and
cities near the where the EMR would be located. Most European20countries and
the United States do similar types of educational and compensation efforts
with their public prior to putting forward a new military installation in a
community.
Education about the forthcoming missile defense system for the Polish
Public is of equal importance to that of public education on missile defense
in the USA. Recent polling data shows strong support for the Missile Defense
Site in Poland with 63 percent of the Polish public behind it and 72% of the
American Public support the European Missile Defense Site.
Riki Ellison is available for on-the-record interviews about his trip to
Poland and the Czech Republic where he met with local officials on the
decision to base missiles and build a radar site. Call Mike Terrill at 602
885-1955 to arrange an interview.
SOURCE Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance

Mike Terrill of MDAA Media, +1-602-885-1955