AMBASSADOR'S OCTOBER 28 MEETING WITH SEJM SPEAKER

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001250

SIPDIS

EUR/CE FOR MORRIS AND LOCHMAN
EUR/OHI FOR KENNEDY, NAKIAN, AND BECKER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS PGOV PHUM AF IZ PL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S OCTOBER 28 MEETING WITH SEJM SPEAKER
KOMOROWSKI

Classified By: Ambassador Victor H. Ashe for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: During an October 28 meeting with the
Ambassador, Speaker of the Sejm (lower house of parliament)
Bronislaw Komorowski expressed satisfaction with lessons
learned by the Polish military in Iraq. Discussing the
November 1 Polish takeover of responsibilities in
Afghanistan's Ghazni province, Komorowski stressed the
importance of devoting sufficient resources to civilian
reconstruction. Komorowski was disappointed that Poland was
not among the countries admitted to the Visa Waiver Program
and indicated his intent to engage Members of Congress on the
issue after the U.S. elections. Komorowski said he views the
Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement and the SOFA as a package
to be ratified jointly. On prospects for passing legislation
on compensation for WWII and Communist-era private property
confiscations, Komorowski said he did not expect the
legislation to be introduced to the Sejm until next year.
Although the government supports the legislation, Komorowski
said PM Tusk remains concerned about choosing the "right
political moment," an indication that personal tensions
between Tusk and President Kaczynski would be the determining
factor in passing the legislation. END SUMMARY.

IRAQ


2. (C) Noting that the final contingent of Polish forces --
with the exception of a 20-man NATO Training Mission (NTM-I)
-- had just returned from Iraq, the Ambassador expressed
gratitude for Poland's contributions over the past five
years. Komorowski noted that the Polish government had
originally told the public that Polish forces would only be
in Iraq for one year. "The Polish public believes Poland has
given 500 percent," he said. He expressed satisfaction with
the experience the Polish military had gained in Iraq and
resulting improvements in military cooperation between the
United States and Poland.

AFGHANISTAN


3. (C) Komorowski noted that Polish forces will take over
responsibility for Ghazni province on November 1. "We need
to fulfill our obligations as an ally, notwithstanding the
great risk." He stated that the Polish military's experience
in Iraq had been instructive and that Polish forces had
learned important lessons about the importance of police
training and building administrative structures. He
emphasized the importance of civilian reconstruction for
counter-insurgency operations. "We cannot simply rely on a
military presence," he insisted. He noted that Poland plans
to commit 40 million PLN (approx. 13 million USD) to civilian
reconstruction projects. Komorowski suggested that NATO
needs to develop a new strategy in Afghanistan, one that
seeks long-lasting solutions to socio-political and economic
problems.

VISA WAIVER PROGRAM


4. (C) Komorowski said the Polish public had high hopes for
additional benefits from Polish participation in Iraq and
Afghanistan, but that those hopes had not been fulfilled. "I
am not saying 'promises', but 'hopes'," Komorowski
emphasized. He said it was unfortunate that the previous
government had made far-reaching promises on Poland's
prospects for entering the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, noting
that in the future it will be more difficult to convince the
public to support military missions abroad. Komorowski
expressed disappointment that Poland was not among the
countries admitted to the Visa Waiver Program. "We have to
eliminate the sense among the Polish public that Poland
received unfair treatment," Komorowski added. He indicated
his intent to engage Members of Congress on the issue after
the November elections and perhaps visit the United States in
Spring 2009.

MISSILE DEFENSE / SOFA


5. (C) Asked about his plans concerning ratification of the
Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement (BMDA),Komorowski said



he sees the BMDA and the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) as
a package. As a result, BMDA ratification will have to wait
until SOFA negotiations are concluded. In the meantime, Sejm
deputies continue to press for an early debate on missile
defense. Because SOFA negotiations are expected to last
through the beginning of 2009, Komorowski said, he plans to
schedule a debate on MD in the second half of November. He
was not precise on when a vote might occur. Komorowski
promised to keep the Embassy informed as to the precise
timing of the debate.

PRIVATE PROPERTY RESTITUTION


6. (C) On prospects for passing legislation on compensation
for private property confiscated in WWII and the Communist
era, Komorowski said he has been "personally engaged" in
convincing the Tusk government to move the draft legislation
forward as quickly as possible. Although the draft
legislation is in the final stages of government approval,
Komorowski said Prime Minister Tusk informed him that the
legislation will not be introduced to the Sejm until next
year, but did not specify a date.


7. (C) Komorowski said Tusk is interested in passing the
legislation as quickly as possible, but is concerned about
"choosing the right moment" to introduce the legislation in
the Sejm. Komorowski said he had no doubts that the
government-prepared legislation, once submitted, would pass
the Sejm, where coalition parties hold a simple majority.
The only variable, he said, is whether President Kaczynski
would veto the legislation. (NOTE: Coalition parties do not
have the supermajority necessary to override a presidential
veto. END NOTE.) Because the legislation is not backed by
public opinion, "we need to wait until the President will be
more open to cooperation with the Government," Komorowski
said, hinting that personal tensions between President
Kaczynski and PM Tusk would be the determining factor.


8. (C) Komorowski said the only outstanding issue within the
government is the percentage of compensation. Komorowski
said he favors a higher percentage, even though that means
extending the period over which claims would be paid out. He
stressed that it is important to see the legislation as
another alternative to the Polish justice system, noting that
claimants currently have the option of using courts to seek
compensation or restitution of confiscated private property.

90TH ANNIVERSARY OF U.S.-POLISH RELATIONS


9. (SBU) The Ambassador and Komorowski discussed plans to
commemorate the 90th anniversary of U.S.-Polish relations in

2009. Komorowski noted that the United States played a key
role in Poland's regaining its independence in 1918 and in
Poland's regaining its freedom in 1989. He said the
anniversary is an opportunity to explore ways to strengthen
the bilateral relationship. Komorowski expressed an interest
in building closer relations between the Sejm and Congress.
He voiced the hope that all living former U.S. Ambassadors to
Poland might visit together for a forum hosted by the Sejm.

ASHE