Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06WARSAW131
2006-01-27 14:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Warsaw
Cable title:  

ASSISTANT SECRETARIES FRIED AND FLORY MEETING WITH

Tags:  PGOV PREL ENRG MASS MARR EINV PL 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 000131 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR A/S FRIED; OSD FOR A/S FLORY; NSC FOR DAMON
WILSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG MASS MARR EINV PL
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARIES FRIED AND FLORY MEETING WITH
POLISH PRIME MINISTER MARCINKIEWICZ


Classified By: AMB. VICTOR ASHE FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D

-------
SUMMARY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 000131

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR A/S FRIED; OSD FOR A/S FLORY; NSC FOR DAMON
WILSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG MASS MARR EINV PL
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARIES FRIED AND FLORY MEETING WITH
POLISH PRIME MINISTER MARCINKIEWICZ


Classified By: AMB. VICTOR ASHE FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------

1. (C) State Department Assistant Secretary for European and
Eurasian Affairs Dan Fried, and Assistant Secretary of
Defense for International Security Policy Peter Flory,
accompanied by Ambassador, EUR DAS Mark Pekala, NSC Senior
Director Damon Wilson, and Polcouns, met January 25 with
Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz just prior to the
start of the third session of the U.S.-Poland Strategic
Dialogue (septel). Marcinkiewicz stressed the importance of
energy security to Poland and described efforts to diversify
Poland's energy sources to increase that security. He and
A/S Fried agreed that we need to work together to ensure that
the EU stays attentive to the problem and to Eastern
questions more broadly. Fried urged support for the
democratic forces in Belarus and for the European Radio for
Belarus (ERB) project. A/S Flory thanked Marcinkiewicz for
his government's decision to extend the deployment of Polish
troops to Iraq. End Summary.

--------------
ENERGY SECURITY AND
EASTERN ISSUES
--------------


2. (C) Marcinkiewicz, who was accompanied by his foreign
policy advisory, Secretary of State Ryszard Schnepf, and MFA
Under Secretary of State Witold Waszczykowski, told Fried and
Flory that the Strategic Dialogue was important for bilateral
relations and as preparation for the upcoming visit to the
U.S. by Polish President Lech Kaczynski, and expressed hope
that the visit would bring "new initiatives" to strengthen
our relations. Marcinkiewicz turned immediately to energy
issues, saying that with the recent Ukrainian gas crisis,
Europe is finally "starting to see energy security with
Polish eyes," and understanding the importance of the issue.
He said Poland is talking to Iraq, Nordic countries, and

Kazakhstan, with an eye toward increasing its energy security
by diversifying its supply.


3. (C) A/S Fried responded that energy security is very much
on our minds. We note that Russia restored gas to Ukraine,
but this is not the end of the problem. Secretary Rice has
publicly stated that the cut-off was an example of Russian
political pressure on Ukraine and was of concern to us. The
details of the provisional agreement leave us with questions,
especially regarding the role of RosUkrEnergo. Europe has
awoken to the problem of its reliance on a monopoly, he said,
and we hope they stay awake. This issue is just one example
of U.S.-Polish cooperation; we need to put our relationship
to work for the sake of our common interests and values, and
to support freedom and democracy in Ukraine, Belarus,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, and as far away as Venezuela.


4. (C) Marcinkiewicz said Poland is also paying close
attention to Ukraine and Belarus. The government believes
that economic cooperation with Belarus could have a pay off
politically. Investment in Ukraine, he argued, helped
strengthen democratic tendencies there, and could do the same
for Belarus. In addition, Poland would start radio broadcast
to Belarus, would send election observers in March, and was
hosting Belarusan opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkiewicz
at the Sejm that day. (Note: A/S Fried meeting with
Milinkiewicz reported septel. End Note.) Fried briefly
described his just-completed visit to Ukraine, saying we have
to be prepared for the same "exciting early years of
democracy" that Poland went through. On Belarus, he informed
Marcinkiewicz of his planned joint U.S.-EU visit to Minsk,
asking his advice on how to proceed. He also told
Marcinkiewicz that we hope Poland can support the European
Radio for Belarus (ERB) project. With elections coming up in
March, we hope the project can be up and running soon. We
cannot, he added, miss this opportunity.


5. (C) Fried said it is clear Poland and the U.S. have to
have a common approach on Eastern questions. We want to work
with Poland to help the EU think about these questions in
active ways. With Merkel we now have a German leader who
understands the history of communism, and so we may be able
to work better with the EU on these questions. Marcinkiewicz
agreed, saying there is now a chance of "warmth" in
German-Polish relations. However, Polish-Russian relations
can only be normal, he said, when Poland's energy security is
guaranteed through diversification. Energy security for
Poland, he added, is a strategic issue, and now it is as well
for the EU.

--------------
IRAQ
--------------


6. (C) On Iraq, ASD Flory expressed appreciation for the
Polish government's decision to extend its troop presence in
Iraq. Marcinkiewicz said that he and the rest of the
government were convinced it was the "natural" thing to do,
but added that Minister of Defense Radek Sikorski had had to
defend the decision again during the previous night's
parliamentary budget battle, outlining the broad range of
U.S.-Polish military cooperation. Poland wants to modernize
its military, and counts on cooperation with the U.S. to do
so.

--------------
PLEA FOR U.S. INVESTMENT
--------------


7. (C) Noting his meeting the previous day with U.S.
Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez, Marcinkiewicz said that

SIPDIS
Poland depends on investment to increase the rate of growth,
and is open for new investment. The U.S., he said, was in
third place in terms of foreign investment, and the
government would like to see U.S. investment grow. Poland
has well-educated young people and is in the EU, making
Poland a profitable place to invest. Fried responded that we
support U.S. investment in Poland. Investors weigh the
conditions on the ground, not the opinions of the U.S.
government in making decision. If the conditions are right,
investors will come. Fried expressed pleasure that the F-16
offset program now seemed to be making progress.


8. (U) A/S Fried cleared this cable.
ASHE