Warsaw, 23/11/2007 (Agence Europe) -Poland's return to Europe was pledged by the new Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, in Warsaw on 23 November. Presenting the programme of the new government, which was returned to power in the early elections of 21 October, the prime minister announced his plans to give up on the policy of “division” carried out by his predecessor Jaroslaw Kaczynski, of the Law and Justice party, promising instead a “normalisation” both within the country and internationally. However, he confirmed that Poland would sign the EU treaty “in full respect of the provisions negotiated” by the previous government. Mr Tusk also called for dialogue with Russia and pledged to reinforce relations with Germany and France.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights. The ratification of the Reform Treaty by the Polish lower house will be complete “as soon as possible”, said Mr Tusk, who went on to announce that he would sign the treaty in Lisbon on 19 December, accompanied by Polish President Lech Kaczynski.
Indicating that Poland will respect “the provisions negotiated”, he confirmed his intention of keeping the opt-out on the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the agreement reached on the compromise of Ioannina. This means that the coalition in power will be able to count on the votes of the PiS in the ratification of the treaty by the Polish Parliament (the text must be ratified by a majority of two thirds, but the PO-PSL coalition parties did not have that level of support). “I have received information from the President (Lech Kaczynski) to the effect that a different type of signature (of the treaty) would jeopardise the ratification process”, Mr Tusk explained. On the adoption of the euro by Poland, Mr Tusk remained more equivocal, declining to say more than that accession to the single currency as soon as possible would be a priority objective of the new government. Officially, the date previously mentioned by Mr Tusk remains on the table, meaning that it is likely that this accession may take place within four years.
International relations. Re-establishing the policy of consensus and solidarity in international relations is the watchword of the new prime minister, who promised an “improvement in relations with France and Germany”, and the maintenance of the “traditionally friendly relations with the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy”. On the subject of the partnership with the countries of the Visegrad group (Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia) and with the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia), Mr Tusk reaffirmed Polish aspirations to shore up the “eastern dimension” of the EU. He did not, however, make any clear references to the future enlargement of the EU to the countries of the Balkans, nor mention the European prospects of Ukraine. “Although we have an opinion on the situation in Russia, we would like dialogue”, he said later. There is no question of abandoning the Polish veto on the launch of negotiations for a new EU-Russia partnership, for as long as Poland is not treated by its eastern neighbour on an equal footing with the other member states of the EU, he stated firmly. Moving away from the pro-American stance of his predecessor, Mr Tusk opted for a “Poland which is strong within the European Union” whilst maintaining its partnership with the United States, particularly on defence matters. NATO remains the “major guarantor” of Polish security, Mr Tusk added. A policy of consensus, he continued, will also be sought on the American anti-missile shield, elements of which are to be installed on Polish and Czech territory. He announced “consultations with NATO” and various neighbour countries, notably the Czech Republic (Czech minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra will be in Poland next week) and Russia. (A.By.)