1 Poland The neighbourhood relations in the national debates – background and perspectives Martin Królikowski/ Katarzyna Czerniecka

2 Overview 1. Polish Foreign Affairs Policy  Statement of the Polish Foreign Affairs Ministry – Prof. Adam Daniel Rotfeld – Summary  Relations with Germany 2. Polish – German Affairs in debate of polish political Parties.  PO, PiS, LPR, SLD 3. Polish Eastern Policy after EU access. 4. Cooperation between Poland, Germany and France on Weimar Triangle Forum.  Regional Triangle of Weimar - A Regional Framework Operation (RFO).

3 1. Polish Foreign Affairs Policy Statement of the Polish Foreign Affairs Ministry – Prof. Adam Daniel Rotfeld - Summary Statement of the Polish Foreign Affairs Ministry – Prof. Adam Daniel Rotfeld - Summary

4 The Statement – at the session of the Sejm on 21st January  continue consolidating our place in the European Union as a responsible state,  new opening in the relations of the whole West with Ukraine,  „We wish to extend the essential assistance to the new president and government of Ukraine, and to share our experiences in developing and consolidating democratic and pro-European transformation”,

5 The Statement – at the session of the Sejm on 21st January  For Poland, our membership in the European Union also offers an opportunity to build a new platform of bilateral relations with Russia,  The state of affairs in Belarus – with which we share a common border - causes understandable concern in Poland. We support the democratic and pro-European aspirations of Belarus society,  Together with our European and Transatlantic partners, we are trying to co-shape the policy of the West in such a way so as to ensure full solidarity with the democratic and freedom tendencies in Belarus.

6 Relations with Germany I  a future-oriented formula of relations between our states – a formula, that would finally put a closure to the burdens of the past and open qualitatively new prospects for the development of relations between Poland and Germany,  with a dimension that is not only historic and determined by the past,  to optimize our policy, we need to answer the following question:  to optimize our policy, we need to answer the following question: How do these relations impact the implementation of our – that is Polish and German – broader aspirations, both in the context of the whole Europe. How do these relations impact the implementation of our – that is Polish and German – broader aspirations, both in the context of the whole Europe.

7 Relations with Germany II  Close cooperation of Poland and Germany is particularly needed to dynamise the policies of Western and Euro-Atlantic institutions addressed to our neighbours in the East, that is Eastern Europe,  We recognize the role of Germany in the European construction;  the negative stereotypes of Poland – also in social perception - will be replaced with an image of a friendly and helpful neighbour.

8 2. Polish – German Affairs in debate of polish political Parties. Platforma Obywatelska (PO) [Citizens' Platfrom] Platforma Obywatelska (PO) [Citizens' Platfrom] Platforma Obywatelska (PO) Platforma Obywatelska (PO) Donald Tusk Donald Tusk Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc (PiS) [Law and Justice] Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc (PiS) [Law and Justice] Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc (PiS) Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc (PiS) Lech Kaczynski Lech Kaczynski Liga Polskich Rodzin (LPR) [Polish Family League] Liga Polskich Rodzin (LPR) [Polish Family League] Liga Polskich Rodzin (LPR) Liga Polskich Rodzin (LPR) Roman Giertych Roman Giertych Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej (SLD) [Democratic Left Alliance] Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej (SLD) [Democratic Left Alliance] Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej (SLD) Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej (SLD) Wojciech Olejniczak Wojciech Olejniczak

9 3. Polish Eastern Policy after EU access I  We are convinced that elimination of existing and potential divisions between the enlarged Union and its eastern neighbours is imperative for stability, security and prosperity at the Union's eastern borders,  The European Union needs Eastern European partners to combat common threats like terrorism, organized crime, illegal transfers of small weapons, trafficking in drugs and human beings and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction,  Those threats and challenges are all of non-military and transnational nature and the only way to meet them is to develop practical, day-by-day cooperation across the borders.

10 3. Polish Eastern Policy after EU access II  Important issue! The crucial element of any successful co- operation is human factor,  The best way to build mutual understanding and confidence is to stimulate and create conditions enhancing contacts between scholars and students, co-operation of regional and local authorities as well as of non-governmental organizations.

11 4. Cooperation between Poland, Germany and France on Weimar Triangle Forum

12 Weimar Triangle I The Weimar Triangle was founded in 1991 by the Foreign Ministers of Poland, Germany and France: Krzysztof Skubiszewski, Hans Dietrich Genscher and Roland Dumas, The Weimar Triangle was founded in 1991 by the Foreign Ministers of Poland, Germany and France: Krzysztof Skubiszewski, Hans Dietrich Genscher and Roland Dumas, It was established as an instrument primarily designed to involve Poland in the mainstream of European politics and support its integration with Euro-Atlantic structures, It was established as an instrument primarily designed to involve Poland in the mainstream of European politics and support its integration with Euro-Atlantic structures, The regular meetings of the three foreign ministers provided a forum for discussion on crucial international issues and presentation of the Polish stance on the key problems of Europe, The regular meetings of the three foreign ministers provided a forum for discussion on crucial international issues and presentation of the Polish stance on the key problems of Europe, Today, its permanent components include youth exchanges, inter- parliamentary contacts, regional, cultural and scientific collaboration, as well as animated contacts in the military sphere. Today, its permanent components include youth exchanges, inter- parliamentary contacts, regional, cultural and scientific collaboration, as well as animated contacts in the military sphere.

13 Weimar Triangle II Despite the occasional differences in the evaluation of specific international developments (Iraqi conflict) and the controversies over the European Constitution, France and Germany remain our most important partners in the European Union, Despite the occasional differences in the evaluation of specific international developments (Iraqi conflict) and the controversies over the European Constitution, France and Germany remain our most important partners in the European Union, That makes it imperative to conduct a debate with them on fundamental issues, such as the role of Europe in confronting the contemporary global threats and the shape of the future EU, That makes it imperative to conduct a debate with them on fundamental issues, such as the role of Europe in confronting the contemporary global threats and the shape of the future EU, That debate could provide a strong incentive for redefinition and revival of activity in the framework of the Weimar Triangle. That debate could provide a strong incentive for redefinition and revival of activity in the framework of the Weimar Triangle.

14 Regional Triangle of Weimar - A Regional Framework Operation The Land of North Rhine- Westphalia (D) The Conseil Régional of Nord- Pas de Calais (F) The Voivodeship of Silesia (PL) The Land of North Rhine- Westphalia (D) The Conseil Régional of Nord- Pas de Calais (F) The Voivodeship of Silesia (PL)

15 Regional Triangle of Weimar - A Regional Framework Operation  In the spirit of the “Common Declaration for Co-operation in the Responsibility for the European Future”, signed on 29th August 1991 in Weimar by the foreign ministers of Poland, France and Germany, at the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Triangle of Weimar the three regions signed the regional “Declaration of Co-operation of the European regions North Rhine-Westphalia, Nord-Pas de Calais and Silesia” on 24th August  It reflects the will of reconciliation of the three countries at a regional level and underlines the will to co-operate within the context of EU programmes.

16 Thank you for your attention!