(ANSA) - KARPACZ, 10 SET - 'If Russia were to attack one of the Baltic states, Poland would be the first to call for the invocation of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty.' This was stated by the Polish Defence Minister, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, in an interview during the 35th Karpacz Economic Forum. The minister added that, in such an eventuality, he would immediately submit a request to the government and the president to invoke the Alliance's collective defence clause. As for the role of the Polish armed forces, the minister clarified that, once Article 5 had been invoked, the military's tasks would be determined by the NATO Allied Forces Command. Kosiniak-Kamysz also argued that Warsaw should be prepared to provide assistance on a bilateral basis as well, even if Article 5 were not immediately invoked. In this context, the minister criticised the statements made by former Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, who claimed that Polish soldiers were not tasked with defending Latvia. "If we cast doubt on whether we will help our closest neighbours," he observed, "how can we expect anyone to help us?" Poland maintains troops in Latvia as part of the multinational contingent led by Canada. (ANSA).