The United Nations

Poland supports international activities for enduring peace in Europe and the world, the protection of fundamental human rights, the co-existence and development of all countries. Respecting the role of the United Nations as a forum for joint efforts to meet the threats and challenges facing the international community, Poland participates actively in anti-terrorist actions initiated and implemented by the UN. Polish soldiers and officers taking part in UN peace-keeping operations have earned international recognition.

In the years 2002 -2003 Poland assumed a chairmanship of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The main objective of this body is the constant search for a compromise between developed and developing countries, facing the confrontation of attitudes and positions in the area of human rights. Poland intends to continue its endeavours not to allow the issue of human right to lose priority.

The proof of our engagement in the effective functioning of the UN system is our several chairmanships in the Council of Safety (lately in the years 1997-1998). Knowing that the UN has to match the requirements of the modern world Poland presented in 2003 a project “New Political Act for the United Nations of XXI century”. It is a document showing the directions and the ways of thinking of a reform of the UN, but without pointing on the concrete structural solutions. The dynamic of the development of the international situation confirms our diagnosis. One of the solutions suggested by Poland was implemented by Secretary General of UN Kofi Annan, establishing the Panel of Prominent Personalities. Its task is to analyse the threats for the world safety and to propose conceptual and institutional solutions. Poland supporting the works of panel organised a seminar “New threats – new answers” in May 2004.

Poland was admitted to the OECD in November 1996. It considers this fact an acknowledgement of Polish achievements in the transition period and its admission to the group of developed countries as a stable democratic state under the rule of law, respecting human rights, implementing the free-market economic principles. Poland's membership and active participation in OECD offers it a chance to accelerate its process of integration with European structures.

The Council of Europe

Poland was admitted to the Council of Europe, with a membership of 43 European countries, in November 1991. The main objective of the Council of Europe is to act in support of co-operation between governments and parliaments, to propagate values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. The Council searches for solutions with respect to intolerance, protection of minorities, children's rights, drug addiction, bio-ethics and access to education. The Polish Parliament's ratification in October 1992 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms adopted by the Council of Europe in 1950, was of key significance for Poland's international legal obligations. This convention enables natural and legal persons to submit complaints against state authorities to the Commission of Human Rights and the Tribunal of Human Rights.

In the last few years Polish representatives have participated actively in the work on new conventions, including a convention on the protection of the rights of national minorities, a convention on human rights and bio-medicine - the first international instrument to protect individual people against the abuse of new biological and medical techniques, and a convention on the legal protection of the natural environment. According to the statistics provided by the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, of the countries admitted to the Council of Europe after 1989, Poland has ratified the greatest number of conventions.

The Pole, Krzysztof Ners, is a vice-chairman of the Development Bank of the Council of Europe. Poland is going to chair the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in November 2004.

Simultaneously there are conducted the preparation for III summit of the Council of Europe, which is going to take place in Warsaw in May 2005.

BILATERAL CO-OPERATION

Since 1989 Poland has grounded its foreign policy on co-operation with the countries of the Euro-Atlantic community. Polish-American political co-operation is focused mainly on the tasks resulting from the joint efforts in the anti-terrorist coalition, within it the reconstructing and bringing back democracy in Iraq. Poland wants to maintain the present dynamics of its relations with its leading European partners, Germany, France, Great Britain and Spain.

The meeting of three foreign ministers,: Krzysztof Skubiszewski (Poland), Hans Dietrich Genscher (Germany), and Roland Dumas (France) in Weimar in August 1991, became one of the symbols of Poland's return to the group of democratic European countries. It initiated the tri-lateral co-operation between Poland, Germany and France called the Weimar Triangle, confirming the special responsibility of these countries for the creation of the new order in Europe. The Weimar meeting was preceded by Poland and France signing the Treaty on Peace and Solidarity on April 9 1991, and the Treaty on Good Neighbourly Relations between Poland and Germany on June 17 1991. Germany and France are Poland's main allies in its endeavours to join the European Union. Great Britain has assisted the Polish transformations and its establishment of a market economy from the very beginning. One of the British government initiatives was to found the Know-how Fund, providing guidance for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Spain became our important partner in the debate about the UE future and the project of the Constitution Treaty.

Poland’s membership in UE, the sign of our joint responsibility for the future of Europe, creates the new frames for the development of Poland’s billateral relations with all other members of UE and the other states.

It is in Poland's interest to pursue the EU Eastern policy, one of the Union's strategic objectives, to establish good neighbourly relations with countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States. As an immediate neighbour of the Russian Federation (bordering on the Kaliningrad Region), Poland welcomes all initiatives to develop many-sided and good-neighbourly co-operation, including economic and energetic co-operation. The new frames for the further relations will be created by Poland’s membership in UE and our participation in the Partnership Council UE – Russia and the enlargement for Poland Agreement about Partnership and Co-operation UE – Russia.

The Polish authorities both at central and regional levels consider the development of contacts across borders an effective instrument of mutual understanding to overcome stereotypes. An example of such endeavours is the proposed tri-lateral, Polish-Lithuanian-Russian training programmes for public administration, border and customs services and enterprises. The programme's priority is to develop small and medium-sized businesses in the Kaliningrad Region.

Poland declares its strong support for the Ukraine in its ambitions to develop closer relations with countries and institutions of the Euro-Atlantic community. The good rapport between the two countries is demonstrated by the functioning of the Consultative Committee of Presidents of the Republic of Poland and the Ukraine, founded in 1993. A number of issues have been undertaken within its framework, including the co-operation of international organisations, local government and non-governmental institutions, problems of economic co-operation (including in the Baltic and Black Sea regions), and military and cultural co-operation across borders. The development of Polish-Ukrainian partnership plays a special role in Poland's Eastern policy.

CO-OPERATION IN THE REGION

Poland attaches great importance to developing the contacts with Central European countries. We consider it as conductive to protect the regional identity in enlargening UE. Nowadays, in connection with the expansion of UE and NATO, it is necessary to anew the definition of the regional co-operation.

The Visegrád Group

After the collapse of the Communist system the shared experience of the past and awareness of new political, social, and economic challenges led the three countries in the region, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, to establish closer relations. In a declaration signed in Visegrád (Hungary) in February 1991, the heads of the three states made a commitment to join the European political and economic system and to intensify regional, economic and cultural co-operation. Following the break-up of Czechoslovakia the Visegrád Group is now composed of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, and it constitutes an important factor in regional co-operation, strengthening the position of these four partners in the process of European integration. In 2000 the Visegrád Group countries founded their first joint organisation - the International Visegrád Fund in support of culture, education, and youth exchange. Poland coordinated the activities of the Group in 2000-2001, and will do it again in summer 2004.

The regional approach to economic problems was reflected in the conclusion - on the Group's initiative - of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) in 1992. It confirmed the Group's active participation in Europe's process of economic integration. The parties to CEFTA, apart from the Visegrád countries, included Bulgaria, Slovenia, Romania and Croatia. At the moment of enlargement of the UE CEFTA looses its profile and will be in force only between Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.

The Central European Initiative (ISE)

This is a platform of co-operation for Central and Eastern European countries initiated in 1989. Poland has been active within its structures since 1991. Despite differences in the situation of its member states the Initiative remains a platform for political dialogue on regional issues and a forum of co-operation for Eastern and Central European countries, the ultimate objective being the integration of the continent. One of the results of the ISE Economic Forum, which is held on a regular basis, is the establishment - on Poland's initiative - of a working group on regional and cross-border co-operation.

Poland assumed the chairmanship of the Central European Initiative in 1995 and 2003.

Mare Nostrum - the Council of the Baltic Sea States 

The Council of the Baltic Sea States, founded in 1992, constitutes another regional forum of co-operation. Its members are Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Island, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Sweden. The Council, whose sessions are attended by European Commission representatives, is focused on co-ordinating activities for the protection of the natural environment, the development of transport and energy infrastructure, and the establishment of closer links between the Baltic Sea States and the European Union. Poland leaded its works in 1994-1995 and this year will take the presidency of that forum.

Poland views international cross-border co-operation as a significant element of integration processes in Europe, recognising its influence on economic, social, and cultural development in the respective regions.

Democratic Poland attaches great importance to developing friendly relations and partnerships with neighbouring countries. Having signed the documents constituting the foundations of cross-border co-operation - the European Outline Convention on Trans-frontier Co-operation, the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the European Charter of Border and Trans-border Regions - since the early 1990s Poland has been an active participant in establishing Euroregions, the aim of which is to develop economic co-operation, infrastructure, protect the natural environment, and promote tourism, cultural and educational projects. The Polish towns and communities located close to borders are associated within the framework of fifteen Euroregions. Four Euroregions operate on Poland's western border: Nysa, Spree-Nysa-Bóbr, Pro-Europa Viardina, and Pomerania, which apart from German and Polish communities also include Swedish local government authorities. On the southern border the Euroregions of Glacenis, Pradziad, Tschesin Silesia, Silesia and Dobrawa provide a platform for Polish-Czech co-operation, and Beskidy for Polish-Czech-Slovak co-operation. Poland co-operates with Slovakia within the Tatra Euroregion. On the borderland shared by Poland, Russia, Lithuania, and Belarus there is the Niemen River Euroregion, and the Bug River Euroregionon the borderland of Poland and Ukraine. The Baltic Sea Euroregion is exceptional in that it includes the border regions of five Baltic Sea states: Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, the Kaliningrad Region (part of the Russian Federation), and Poland. Another large Euroregion is the Carpathian, which consists of Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania.