Security and Defence Quarterly

7-33

Authors: Dąbrówka Smolny

The choice of the problematic subject of this article was imposed by the need for reflection on the national security control system of the Republic of Poland in the context of the present and the foreseen trends in the Polish security environment, including the challenges (chances and threats) of the country’s security, as well as the needs, objectives and national interests. It is still a more common view that a comprehensive approach to the issue of national security is a must, i.e. the attitude which significantly exceeds the traditional understanding of national security through the prism of defence, the attitude integrating, relatively singlehandedly, and the functioning systems which complete tasks within the broad scope of security. Emphasis is also put on the need for a review of the present competences of the executive powers in the scope of national security control, in order to eliminate the cases when the scope of authorisation is duplicated as well as to supplement the areas which noone bears responsibility for.

50-70

Authors: Grzegorz Sobolewski, Monika Sikora

The security of Poland is most of all under the influence of process and phenomena which are taking place in the surrounding environment – in a regional, European and Euro-Atlantic dimension. Observing these changes in the area of security, both national as well as international, can result in the assumption that contemporary challenges and hazards are the consequence of complex and interrelated political, economic and social processes in the national and international environment.

87-119

Authors: Risto Gabrielson, Zdzisław Śliwa

The Arctic area with its harsh climate and austere icecap has not raised any great international passions in the past. However, enduring global warming has opened new views on exploitation of that area. If the climate gets steadily warmer in the future, it could mean the opening of the Northwest Passage for ship routes. On the other hand, it is estimated that the region has got remarkable gas reserves, which could amount to as much as 30 % of the world’s undiscovered reserves, as well as oil, which encompasses some 13 % of world’s undiscovered stocks. As for now, any serious international conflicts in this area are not likely, even though there are real expectations and claims imposed by several nations. The current peaceful cooperation is supported by feasible treaties that are already in place. Until lately, the work of the Arctic Council has not raised any great international attentiveness, but the expected development in the area has activated stronger interest from many countries, and not only those from the Arctic region. There are several regional disputes among the five states, USA, Canada, Russia, Norway and Denmark about the Arctic Ocean. As expert opinion still differs quite significantly about the resources available in the Arctic region and about the feasibility of the Northwest and Northeast routes, it is hard to say if there are any practical economic gains to be achieved. Although cooperation between the nations has been peaceful, the military presence in the area is increasing. Moreover, it remains to be seen how the recent Ukrainian crisis will affect the development in the area.

139-140

Authors: Piotr Gawliczek,

On 23-24 June 2014 the delegation of the National Defence University of Warsaw participated in the 3rd Functional Clearing House on Military Education in Bucharest,Romania. The delegation was headed by MG (ret.) Bogusław Pacek, Assoc. Prof., accompanied by the NDU Rector’s Representative for the Innovation, Capt. Navy (ret.)Piotr Gawliczek, Assoc. Prof. The conference, organised by NATO Headquarters, was co-hosted in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence of Romania

144-146

Authors: Bogusław Pacek

This year’s symposium was sponsored by the Academy of Military Sciences (AMS) of the People’s Liberation Army and the China Research Society of Sun Tzu’s Art of War (CRSSTAW) and co-sponsored by the Shandong Provincial People’s Government.