POLES WILL NOT MEET WITH HAMAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 000296

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PL
SUBJECT: POLES WILL NOT MEET WITH HAMAS

REF: SECSTATE 27174

Classified By: Polcouns Mary T. Curtin, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Polcouns met February 23 with Krzysztof Plominski,
MFA Director for Africa and the Middle East, to deliver
reftel demarche on meetings with Hamas. Plominski said that
Hamas had not made a request to send a delegation, and that
Poland would not accept such a Hamas delegation even if
asked. Plominski said he did not expect Hamas to approach
Poland, and that "they know whom to contact in the EU," for a
friendlier reception. He noted there are some countries in
the EU arguing for a reconsideration of EU policies and for
greater flexibility in dealing with Hamas, and that Hamas and
Iran will likely be the focus of the February 27 GAERC
meeting. Poland's position will be that the EU should wait
and see how Hamas behaves before taking any action. There
were solid reasons for listing Hamas as a terrorist
organization, and this listing cannot change unless Hamas
changes.


2. (C) Plominski added that Poland, for its part, has
suspended proceedings leading to the signing of a development
cooperation agreement with the Palestinian Authority. The
agreement is ready, but Poland has decided it will not even
discuss modalities with the PA at this time. Plominski then
expressed his personal concern about how the international
community should deal with Hamas in order to address the
needs of the Palestinian people, and said that perhaps there
should be some flexibility in order to prevent a humanitarian
crisis or even further growth in extremism. PolCouns agreed
the situation was complex, but reiterated the importance of
Hamas recognizing Israel's' right to exist, renouncing
terrorism, and abiding by the PA's previous agreements and
obligations.
KULAKOWSKI