Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08WARSAW1350
2008-11-26 15:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Warsaw
Cable title:
POLAND: PRESIDENT'S SECURITY ADVISOR HIGHLIGHTS
how-toVZCZCXRO0429 OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHWR #1350 3311512 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 261512Z NOV 08 FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7408 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001350
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS AND PIERANGELO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV AJ BO GG UP PL
SUBJECT: POLAND: PRESIDENT'S SECURITY ADVISOR HIGHLIGHTS
EASTERN POLICY PRIORITIES
Classified By: DCM QUANRUD FOR REASON 1.4 (B),(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 001350
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS AND PIERANGELO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV AJ BO GG UP PL
SUBJECT: POLAND: PRESIDENT'S SECURITY ADVISOR HIGHLIGHTS
EASTERN POLICY PRIORITIES
Classified By: DCM QUANRUD FOR REASON 1.4 (B),(D)
1. (C) SUMMARY. During a November 26 meeting with DCM,
Wladyslaw Stasiak, the Head of the Polish President's
National Security Bureau, highlighted the Presidential
Administration's policy towards Poland's Eastern neighbors,
emphasizing President Kaczynski's desire to revive Europe's
waning interest in resolving Georgia's plight. Stasiak also
urged further engagement with Ukraine on NATO membership,
agreed the EU should be more judicious about any further
easing of sanctions against Belarus, and expressed concern
about Western support for Azerbaijan. END SUMMARY.
GEORGIA: KACZYNSKI SEEKS TO SHAKE UP EUROPEAN COMPLACENCY
2. (C) Stasiak described President Lech Kaczynski's
controversial weekend trip to Georgia -- during which his
convoy was either fired on or over -- as an effort to
underline Europe's complacency regarding the plight of
Georgia's sovereignty, particularly ahead of the NATO Foreign
Ministers' meeting December 2-3. President Kaczynski sought
to highlight that there cannot be "business as usual" as long
as problems continue to fester in Georgia.
UKRAINE: KEEP THE NATO DOOR OPEN
3. (C) Stasiak emphasized that NATO should stay engaged with
Ukraine regarding eventual membership, despite that country's
political instability. If NATO's door remains open to
Ukraine, it would help stabilize the political situation in
Kyiv and thwart potential Russian claims of victory over
NATO. During his October trip to Ukraine, Stasiak found a
large portion of Ukrainians -- including the Prime Minister's
cabinet -- favor integration with transatlantic institutions.
NATO, however, faces a branding problem. Many Ukrainians, he
said, still associate the word "NATO" with Communist-era
propaganda labeling it as a hostile and aggressive military
force.
BELARUS: TEST LUKASHENKA BEFORE REWARDING HIM
4. (C) In contrast to Polish Foreign Ministry officials,
Stasiak believes the EU should maintain as much leverage as
possible over Belarus until Lukashenka implements practical
and durable democratic changes. It would be
counterproductive for the EU to permanently lift the visa ban
based on Lukashenka's dubious promises of reforms.
AZERBAIJAN: ALIYEV FEELS NEGLECTED BY THE WEST
5. (C) Stasiak indicated that he is increasingly focusing on
Azerbaijan. During his trip to Baku 1-2 months ago,
President Aliyev expressed concern that the United States and
EU were "neglecting" Azerbaijan. We pointed out that
Secretary Bodman's recent trip to Baku was a clear indicator
of our commitment to the region.
6. (C) COMMENT. The meeting with Stasiak highlighted the
general agreement -- with some notable exceptions -- between
the government and the president's administration on Eastern
policy. Stasiak, for example, told us that he personally
agreed with the underlying premise of the "Doctrine" that
Foreign Minister Sikorski presented in Washington last week
(i.e., any attempt by Russia to redraw the borders of Europe
should entail a proportional response by the whole Atlantic
community). The notable differences relate to Georgia and
Belarus. The GoP insists on respecting the Sarkozy-Medvedev
cease-fire commitments, but President Kaczynski has been even
more forward-leaning, and has looked for opportunities to
demonstrate solidarity with Georgian President Saakashvili.
However, Kaczynski's recent trip to Georgia to shake up
European complacency might have backfired. The Polish press
has widely described it as an "escapade" that needlessly
endangered the President, and some questioned Kaczynski's
assumption that the Russian-speaking troops he overheard were
Russians, and not South Ossetians. On the Belarusian front,
Sikorski has aggressively taken the lead in attempting to
ease EU sanctions against Minsk, which has generated
significant criticism from Kaczynski's camp. END COMMENT.
ASHE
SIPDIS
EUR/CE FOR MORRIS AND PIERANGELO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV AJ BO GG UP PL
SUBJECT: POLAND: PRESIDENT'S SECURITY ADVISOR HIGHLIGHTS
EASTERN POLICY PRIORITIES
Classified By: DCM QUANRUD FOR REASON 1.4 (B),(D)
1. (C) SUMMARY. During a November 26 meeting with DCM,
Wladyslaw Stasiak, the Head of the Polish President's
National Security Bureau, highlighted the Presidential
Administration's policy towards Poland's Eastern neighbors,
emphasizing President Kaczynski's desire to revive Europe's
waning interest in resolving Georgia's plight. Stasiak also
urged further engagement with Ukraine on NATO membership,
agreed the EU should be more judicious about any further
easing of sanctions against Belarus, and expressed concern
about Western support for Azerbaijan. END SUMMARY.
GEORGIA: KACZYNSKI SEEKS TO SHAKE UP EUROPEAN COMPLACENCY
2. (C) Stasiak described President Lech Kaczynski's
controversial weekend trip to Georgia -- during which his
convoy was either fired on or over -- as an effort to
underline Europe's complacency regarding the plight of
Georgia's sovereignty, particularly ahead of the NATO Foreign
Ministers' meeting December 2-3. President Kaczynski sought
to highlight that there cannot be "business as usual" as long
as problems continue to fester in Georgia.
UKRAINE: KEEP THE NATO DOOR OPEN
3. (C) Stasiak emphasized that NATO should stay engaged with
Ukraine regarding eventual membership, despite that country's
political instability. If NATO's door remains open to
Ukraine, it would help stabilize the political situation in
Kyiv and thwart potential Russian claims of victory over
NATO. During his October trip to Ukraine, Stasiak found a
large portion of Ukrainians -- including the Prime Minister's
cabinet -- favor integration with transatlantic institutions.
NATO, however, faces a branding problem. Many Ukrainians, he
said, still associate the word "NATO" with Communist-era
propaganda labeling it as a hostile and aggressive military
force.
BELARUS: TEST LUKASHENKA BEFORE REWARDING HIM
4. (C) In contrast to Polish Foreign Ministry officials,
Stasiak believes the EU should maintain as much leverage as
possible over Belarus until Lukashenka implements practical
and durable democratic changes. It would be
counterproductive for the EU to permanently lift the visa ban
based on Lukashenka's dubious promises of reforms.
AZERBAIJAN: ALIYEV FEELS NEGLECTED BY THE WEST
5. (C) Stasiak indicated that he is increasingly focusing on
Azerbaijan. During his trip to Baku 1-2 months ago,
President Aliyev expressed concern that the United States and
EU were "neglecting" Azerbaijan. We pointed out that
Secretary Bodman's recent trip to Baku was a clear indicator
of our commitment to the region.
6. (C) COMMENT. The meeting with Stasiak highlighted the
general agreement -- with some notable exceptions -- between
the government and the president's administration on Eastern
policy. Stasiak, for example, told us that he personally
agreed with the underlying premise of the "Doctrine" that
Foreign Minister Sikorski presented in Washington last week
(i.e., any attempt by Russia to redraw the borders of Europe
should entail a proportional response by the whole Atlantic
community). The notable differences relate to Georgia and
Belarus. The GoP insists on respecting the Sarkozy-Medvedev
cease-fire commitments, but President Kaczynski has been even
more forward-leaning, and has looked for opportunities to
demonstrate solidarity with Georgian President Saakashvili.
However, Kaczynski's recent trip to Georgia to shake up
European complacency might have backfired. The Polish press
has widely described it as an "escapade" that needlessly
endangered the President, and some questioned Kaczynski's
assumption that the Russian-speaking troops he overheard were
Russians, and not South Ossetians. On the Belarusian front,
Sikorski has aggressively taken the lead in attempting to
ease EU sanctions against Minsk, which has generated
significant criticism from Kaczynski's camp. END COMMENT.
ASHE