WARSAW (AFP) - US forces will help coach their Polish NATO allies as Warsaw beefs up security plans before hosting football's European Championships next year, Washington said Saturday.
"F-16s from the California Air National Guard will
participate in the July 2011 SAFE SKIES training exercise with Polish F-16s as part of Poland's security preparations for the Euro 2012 soccer tournament," a White House statement released in Poland said as US President Barack Obama wrapped up his European tour with a visit to Warsaw.
With fears of terrorist attacks regularly swirling around high-profile sports events such the 16-nation European footballing showcase—expected to draw over a million fans—security operations have expanded over the years.
As the first edition of the quadrennial competition behind the former Iron Curtain, Euro 2012 is a crucial showcase for the hosts.
The tournament kicks off in Warsaw on June 8, 2012 and ends on July 1 with final in Kiev, capital of fellow host nation Ukraine.
"F-16s from the California Air National Guard will
participate in the July 2011 SAFE SKIES training exercise with Polish F-16s as part of Poland's security preparations for the Euro 2012 soccer tournament," a White House statement released in Poland said as US President Barack Obama wrapped up his European tour with a visit to Warsaw.
With fears of terrorist attacks regularly swirling around high-profile sports events such the 16-nation European footballing showcase—expected to draw over a million fans—security operations have expanded over the years.
As the first edition of the quadrennial competition behind the former Iron Curtain, Euro 2012 is a crucial showcase for the hosts.
The tournament kicks off in Warsaw on June 8, 2012 and ends on July 1 with final in Kiev, capital of fellow host nation Ukraine.
The White House statement did not say whether Washington would lend security expertise to Ukraine for Euro 2012.
While ex-communist Poland joined NATO in 1999, moves to bring Ukraine into the trans-Atlantic alliance are highly sensitive, with Russia objecting to what it sees as further Western steps onto its Soviet-era turf.
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