Brussels, 29/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, Aleksander Kwasniewski, President of the Republic of Poland, reiterated his country's "determination" to conclude accession negotiations by the end of 2001 so as to be able to join the EU on 1 January 2003. "We remain determined to conclude negotiations before the end of next year. That way, the year 2002 could be used for the ratification of the accession treaty (in Member States and in Poland) so as to permit our entry on 1 January 2003, which is our target date", said Kwasniewski at the end of his talks with European Commission President Romano Prodi. The Polish President, who has often expressed his disquiet at the "apparent lack of political will" on the part of the Fifteen to move forward in the enlargement process more rapidly, said he was convinced that both parties now wanted to advance in the process that is advantageous for both the current EU members and the applicant countries.
For his part, Romano Prodi welcomed the "concrete, strong and encouraging progress" that Poland has made over the past year. This progress is, rightly, reflected in the progress report that the Commission has just published on Poland, he remarked. Mr. Prodi did not comment on Poland's ambition of concluding negotiations in 2001 and become a member of the EU as early as the beginning of 2003, but simply repeated the Helsinki Declaration by which the EU would be ready, end-2002, to "welcome" new members. "What is important is not to speculate on possible dates, but to move forward in the work so as to ensure that the process continues and that it goes in the right direction", said the President of the European Commission.
The Polish President also placed emphasis on the need to make a "success" of the Nice Summit regarding institutional reform, "as it must prepare the ground for enlargement". Regarding the substance of the reforms, for example the number of Commissioners or the weighting of votes in Council, Mr. Kwasniewski said that "anything that Spain can accept, Poland could accept too". For the rest, Poland, as applicant country not taking part in the IGC, cannot express particular demands, said the President. "What matters, is that decisions are taken in Nice. We shall accept those decisions", he said. Mr. Kwasniewski indicated that he did not expect the Fifteen to decide in Nice to offer the candidates a target date for concluding negotiations or for membership as such. "I think that the Union's willingness for enlargement will be repeated", which will not prevent Poland from continuing to reiterate its "determination" to be ready to join in 2003.
Poland wishes to be fully associated in discussions on possible new gas pipeline
for delivery of Russian gas to EU
The Polish President was, moreover, questioned by the Belgian newspaper "Le Soir" on the project for a new gas pipeline that would carry Russian gas to the EU through Poland, circumventing Ukraine. He replied: "The West wants to increase its supplies of Russian gas and Russia is ready to sell it. That's normal. But we have certain reservations. On the one hand, the West is negotiating with Russia in the absence of Poland, although it is concerned. That's unacceptable and bad practice. On the other, it is not right that this affair should not have been discussed with Ukraine either, that this new gas pipeline should circumvent. I therefore hope that this affair will be discussed among four: European Union, Poland, Ukraine and Russia (and naturally also separately between Russia and Ukraine)."
The President added that this type of problem should be broached "in terms of the common interest" and not in terms of "relations of strength, competitive shocks," etc.