FROM EASTERN NEIGHBOURS TO EASTERN EUROPE

Katarzyna Pisarska, a Polish expert in politics and diplomacy, has spoken to R+ about Warsaw's view of the 'Eastern Partnership' programme, about her country's policy with regard to post-Soviet states, especially in the Southern Caucasus, Azerbaijan's prospects of joining the EU and about Russian-Polish relations.

(Mahmud) To begin our conversation I would like to hear what you think about the Poland's foreign policy priorities as one of Europe's largest countries.

(Pisarska) For many years the main priorities for Polish foreign policy have been to join NATO and the European Union. After achieving this (Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004), Poland's main objective was to strengthen cooperation with these organizations. In the EU, Poland urges a broadening the organization's presence in its nearest neighbours, especially in the East. That's why Poland, along with Sweden, proposed the 'Eastern partnership' initiative, whose aim is to create an institutionalized forum to discuss visa agreements, free trade and agreements on strategic partnerships with the EU's eastern neighbours, including the South Caucasus. We believe that broader integration into the EU is a guarantee of stability, security and prosperity for everyone.

Among Poland's other foreign policy priorities are support for the EU's general energy policy, expanding the domestic market and strengthening general security and defence. Of course, all this should occur not in competition, but in cooperation, with NATO, an organization whose principle of collective defence remains the cornerstone of Poland's security.

- When one thinks of Poland one instantly recalls the air disaster near Smolensk in which President Lech Kaczynski and other officials were killed on their way to pay tribute to the Poles who were shot at Katyn in the Second World War. Immediately after this disaster many people began to speak of renewed tension between Russia and Poland. For example, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili suggested that Russia had played a part in the crash. Former Polish President Lech Walesa also noted that technical problems were not the reason for the crash. How do you approach this question?

-  A tragedy on the scale of the Smolensk air disaster always gives rise to conspiracy theories, especially when the circumstances are so symbolic: the Polish president was flying to Smolensk in a Russian KB Tupolev aircraft to pay tribute to the memory of the 22,000 Polish soldiers who were the victims of one of the most horrific mass murders of the Stalinist period. Nevertheless, it must be clearly stated that there has been no proof whatever of an attack on the aircraft or of any plot which could have led to this tragedy. Both the Russian and the Polish investigators point out that a series of errors were made, there was negligence and evidence of a failure to foresee the possible results of actions. The only area in which the Polish and Russian experts are at odds is about who is to blame for the errors that were discovered.

It should be noted that Poland rejected the preliminary report presented by the Interstate Aviation Committee, chaired by Russia (the investigation and official report on the crash were entrusted to Russia because the crash occurred on its territory). In the Russian report blame for the disaster was placed exclusively on the Polish pilots and it rejected any error on the part of Russian air traffic controllers. However, the Polish investigation revealed that part of the blame lay with the Russian air traffic controllers at the provincial airfield in Smolensk. In the opinion of the Polish authorities, neither the Polish nor the Russian side had prepared for the safe conduct of this flight. All those who had anything to do with the flight - Poles and Russians - must accept responsibility; because it is only by revealing the whole truth about the disaster that the current rapprochement between Poland and Russia can be ensured.

-  But Russian-Polish relations have been cool for some time…

-  Objectively speaking, Polish-Russian relations have always been determined by past events. Russia invaded Poland twice in the past century - the first time unsuccessfully (in 1922) and the second invasion ended with the division of Polish territory by Hitler and Stalin (1939-1945). As a result of the Yalta agreements Poland came under USSR control and remained a satellite state for over 40 years. Communism was imposed on the country and led to a breakaway and protests by the Poles. The 'Solidarity' trade-union became a major opposition movement in the socialist camp and played an important role in the fall of the Communist regime in 1989. Nevertheless, until 1989 its great neighbour brought considerable suffering to Poles. One cannot fail to recall the tragedy at Katyn, the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Poles to Siberia and Kazakhstan or the murders and arrests of opposition leaders after 1945.

In 1989 Poland re-established its independence and sovereignty and geopolitically distanced itself geopolitically from the sphere of Russian influence. Thanks to its linkage to western institutional systems (the European Union and NATO) political and economic changes occurred in Poland. Today Poland is among the 30 most developed, democratic and wealthy countries in the world. This is a real success. Nevertheless, the main challenge in foreign policy remains the normalization of relations with the Russian Federation, which is still perceived as an imperialist power. Today, the establishment of normal relations is difficult because Russia is still a destabilizing force in the region (the Russian-Georgian war, the Chechen wars, the use of energy resources to blackmail other countries). Poland wants to see Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus as peaceful, prosperous regions with independent states which take independent decisions about their future. But in order to trust the Russian authorities we need to be convinced that we are both going in the same direction.

-  The former Polish President Lech Kaczynski supported Georgia during the Russian-Georgian war in August 2008, and then agreed to the deployment of the American ABM system in Poland. Is it Warsaw's aim to protect Europe from Russian influence?

-  Until Russia changes its rhetoric, Poland will, naturally, continue to rely on its western allies to ensure its own security and to spread democracy in the region. Poland has chosen a security system based on common values. Freedom is very important to societies who lived under the communist regime because it was absent for many years. So Poland is more inclined to support movements fighting for freedom throughout the world and is more inclined to place ideals above pragmatic calculations.

-  How can you explain Poland's special interest in Georgia's joining NATO?

-  Poland believes that any state that wishes to join NATO and make its contribution to general security should have this right - this applies to all the countries of the South Caucasus, and not only this region. Georgia has a clear pro-transatlantic position, and it has for many years spoken of its desire to join NATO. When it is ready for membership, it should have the opportunity.

-  And to conclude, relations between Azerbaijan and Poland have a history of their own. Poland is one of the most active members of the European Union. How is Poland supporting Azerbaijan's desire to integrate more closely with the EU?

-  Membership of the EU must be a well-considered and conscious choice for each individual state. It requires immense preparatory efforts from a country that submits an application. The entry process is a long and difficult one. It took Poland ten years of preparation and talks. If Azerbaijan decides to join the EU and to start the preparatory process, Poland will probably be the first to support such a decision. But first there must be an understanding in Azerbaijan itself about what membership of the EU means and what is required of a country that submits an application.

Poland joined the initiative to create an 'Eastern partnership' which includes the South Caucasus. It is a good basis for strengthening and deepening relations between Azerbaijan and the EU.