POLISH PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO KATYN "CONSTRUCTIVE"

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 004633

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PL RS
SUBJECT: POLISH PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO KATYN "CONSTRUCTIVE"
AND FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

REF: MOSCOW 4357

Classified By: Ambassador William Burns, for reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) Summary. DFM Titov characterized President
Kaczynski's visit to Katyn as "constructive," noting that
Kaczynski had depicted Katyn as an historical event and
focused on the future of Russian-Polish relations. Titov
also said that any request by Kaczynski to meet with Putin
would have been rejected due to political considerations.
The future of high-level visits remains unclear, as Kaczynski
seemed to suggest an "informal" visit from Putin to Poland,
followed by a formal visit by Kaczynski to Moscow, but the
GOR is expecting to see Kaczynski first in Moscow. End
Summary.


2. (C) In a September 19 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy
Foreign Minister Titov characterized the Polish President's
approach to visiting Katyn and Smolensk on the anniversary of
the Soviet invasion of Eastern Poland in WW2 as
"constructive" and "very friendly." Kaczynski delivered on
his promise to depict Katyn as an historical event, with his
visit focused on the future of Polish-Russian relations.
Titov characterized the Polish request to meet with Putin on
the margins of the visit as unrealistic, given the two week
lead time, but candidly volunteered that politics would have
driven a Russian refusal in any event. The GOR viewed the
Kaczynski initiative through the prism of the Polish
electoral calendar, with Titov adding that there was no
realistic way to avoid the question of history should the
Presidents have chosen their first formal engagement to be in
Katyn.


3. (C) According to Titov, Polish officials were pleased
with Kaczynski's reception. Polpred for Central
Administrative Region Georgiy Poltavchenko, Titov, and
Smolensk Governor Viktor Maslov were present for the visit,
and welcomed the relatively moderate tone of the Polish
President's statements ("we live thinking of the future, we
remember the past, but think of it in a peaceful way"). A
subsequent, vodka-lubricated reception (with the approval of
Kaczynski's personal physician),produced toasts for Putin,
friendship, Russia, and Poland. In an aside that he quickly
disowned, Titov noted that Kaczynski's wife appeared to be
the driving force behind any potential Polish-Russian
rapprochement, an observation seconded by Polish Embassy
officials, who told us that the friendship between the first
ladies was a critical counterweight to the heavy political
baggage of the last year.


4. (C) The Polish interpretation of protocol, Titov
maintained, would complicate planning for a future high-level
meeting. While Kaczynski said it was his turn to visit
Moscow, he criticized his predecessor for making six
"informal" visits to Russia, apparently unreciprocated.
Kaczynski's staff spun the Polish President's comments as a
pitch for Putin to make an "unofficial" visit, which would be
reciprocated quickly with an official visit to Moscow by the
Polish President; Titov stressed, however, that the GOR would
take Kaczynski at his word and expect to see him first in
Moscow. During the Katyn program, Titov met with his
counterpart, First Deputy Foreign Minister Pavel Kowal, and
agreed to travel to Warsaw after the Polish elections. Titov
noted that Polish FM Anna Fotyga -- a "charming lady, but a
product of domestic politics" -- had yet to respond to the
invitation extended by Lavrov in April.


5. (C) The Polish embassy considered the visit successful,
particularly in light of the current state of relations. They
noted that Kaczynski set a very specific tone in his speech,
recognizing that Poland wants to have a productive
relationship with Russia, but that the setting and date were
chosen to remind Russia that Poland does not forget, and will
not give up on issues of "moral importance." Polish Embassy
representatives do "not exclude" the possibility of Kaczynski
visiting Moscow in the near future, but gave no specifics.
Burns