"Poland supports the construction of a European defence identity, as it is basic to the European Union," a ministry spokesman told the Polish news agency PAP in a comment on the weekend Berlin summit between Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany, President Jacques Chirac of France and Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain.

"Provided this construction takes place in agreement with the structures of NATO, provided it does not duplicate these structures and does not weaken the transatlantic security that Europe has built over more than 50 years, we will support it."

Poland is a member of NATO and is scheduled to join the European Union next year.

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