Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08WARSAW1074
2008-09-16 12:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Warsaw
Cable title:  

BELARUS/POLAND - MFA CONTINUES TO LOBBY FOR

Tags:  PREL PHUM PGOV BO PL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3836
OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHWR #1074/01 2601232
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 161232Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7011
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 001074 

SIPDIS

EUR/CE FOR MORRIS, PIERANGELO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV BO PL
SUBJECT: BELARUS/POLAND - MFA CONTINUES TO LOBBY FOR
SOFTENING OF EU VISA BAN

REF: WARSAW 1053

Classified By: DCM QUANRUD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 001074

SIPDIS

EUR/CE FOR MORRIS, PIERANGELO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV BO PL
SUBJECT: BELARUS/POLAND - MFA CONTINUES TO LOBBY FOR
SOFTENING OF EU VISA BAN

REF: WARSAW 1053

Classified By: DCM QUANRUD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Polish MFA officials told us that Belarusian
FM Martynov took a "soft, friendly" tone in his September 12
meeting with FM Sikorski. They attributed the meeting's
success -- and Belarus' apparent warming to the West -- as a
reaction to Russian actions in Georgia and a growing
Belarusian interest in Polish investment. Martynov made it
clear that Belarus expects "gestures" from the EU (i.e.,
lifting the EU's visa ban) in exchange for more democratic
parliamentary elections September 28. We expect Poland to
continue to lobby for softening, if not lifting the EU visa
ban, should the election outcome be deemed free and fair.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Polish MFA Deputy Director for Eastern Policy (and
former Polish Ambassador to Belarus) Mateusz Maszkiewicz told
us September 15 that FM Sikorski was pleased with the "soft,
friendly" tone taken by Belarusian FM Martynov in their
September 12 meeting. The meeting featured an hour-long
one-on-one, followed by a larger plenary session which
included economic and cultural representatives from each
side.

VISIT FEATURED ON BELARUS STATE TELEVISION


3. (C) Of note, Maszkiewicz said, was the visit's prominent
treatment on "Panorama," Belarusian state television's "most
important" news program. According to Maszkiewicz, the
television program characterized Poland as Belarus' new best
friend and most important cultural and economic partner. The
program also said Poland has become Belarus' "promoter" in
the EU.

MARTYNOV STRESSES GOB'S HONEST INTENTIONS ON ELECTIONS


4. (C) Maszkiewicz reported that Sikorski had stressed EU and
Polish interest in this month's parliamentary elections.
Sikorski welcomed the fact that Belarus had allowed in OSCE
observers. In return, Maszkiewicz said, Martynov made clear
that the GOB expects "gestures" from the EU -- a reference to
lifting the visa ban -- in exchange for more democratic and
participatory elections. Martynov repeatedly offered
assurances that it was the GOB's "honest intention" to allow

more democratic elections. (COMMENT: When pressed,
Maszkiewicz acknowledged that Martynov's influence in
domestic affairs is limited, but he remained nonetheless
optimistic and visibly enthusiastic. END COMMENT)

BELARUS MOTIVATED BY GEORGIA, ECONOMIC TIES


5. (C) Maszkiewicz insisted that the apparent change in
Belarus' position is an indication that the "hard policy"
advocated by Poland has been successful. He also reiterated
that Belarus is trying to forge good relations with Europe
and the United States in response to Russian activity in
Georgia (reftel). Martynov was reportedly ecstatic about the
U.S. decision to suspend temporarily sanctions on two
Belarusian companies, and emphasized the symbolic importance
of DAS Merkel's recent visit. Maszkiewicz said the
Belarusian delegation displayed keen interest in
strengthening bilateral economic relations and in promoting
Polish investment in Belarus. (NOTE: In a separate meeting,
the Polish Consul General in Brest told DCM that Sikorski
believed that just holding the meeting was a success.
According to the CG, the Belarusians do not seem interested
in overly close ties with the EU, but are trying to create
some space for maneuver between themselves and the Russians.
END NOTE.)

POLAND LOBBYING EU MEMBER STATES ON VISA BAN


6. (C) Maszkiewicz said Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden had
pressed hard in advance of this week's GAERC to include some
reference to a possible lifting of the visa ban (post
elections) in the GAERC conclusions as an incentive for a
more democratic outcome. He expressed satisfaction that the
conclusions mention relaxing "restrictive measures," but said
the MFA did not yet have a clear sense of what that might
entail. Maszkiewicz said various proposals are still under
discussion in the MFA, up to and including lifting the visa
ban entirely and leaving it up to individual consular
officers to decide whether specific Belarusian authorities
qualify for Schengen visas. Maszkiewicz added that any
change to the EU's visa ban would require at least 5-6 weeks
to implement, depending on the outcome of the September 28
parliamentary elections.


WARSAW 00001074 002 OF 002


PROGRESS ON POLISH MINORITY


7. (C) Maszkiewicz said there had also been progress on a
long-standing bilateral problem concerning Polish minorities,
with the Belarusian side reportedly agreeing to allow the
reconstitution of the Polish Union, an organization dedicated
to upholding the rights of the Polish minority in Belarus
which has faced pressure from the GOB. Maszkiewicz said the
MFA expects to see tangible progress on this by the end of
the year.

COMMENT


8. (C) FM Sikorski entered office intent on modeling Poland's
approach to Belarus on U.S. treatment of Poland under
communism -- a distinctly softer approach than under the
previous government. We expect FM Sikorski will continue to
lobby his EU colleagues to soften, if not lift, the visa ban
should elections meet the democratic test. According to
Maszkiewicz and other MFA interlocutors, Belarusian
authorities prize the ability to travel to the EU above all
other deliverables. We continue to press Poland and other EU
member states to offer other incentives first. Removing the
visa ban may be the grand prize for demonstrable progress on
the full range of human rights issues.

ASHE