(S) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON POLAND FORMING A

S E C R E T STATE 125736 NOFORN SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO MINSK E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL BO EZ PL RO UP SUBJECT: (S) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON POLAND FORMING A NEW GROUP WITH ROMANIA AND UKRAINE (C-RE9-02125) Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE CLOSELY MONITORING POLISH OFFICIALS,S DECISION TO CREATE A NEW REGIONAL GROUP, SIMILAR TO THE V-4, INVOLVING ROMANIA AND UKRAINE. WE ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE PERCEPTION OF OTHER V-4 COUNTRIES TOWARDS POLISH "ASSERTIVENESS" WITHIN THE VISEGRAD GROUP AND WARSAW'S PLANS TO CREATE A NEW REGIONAL GROUP. WE WOULD APPRECIATE POSTS' PERCEPTIONS OF WARSAW'S PROACTIVE STANCES ON THE NEW GROUP AND COALITION-BUILDING WITH EU COUNTRIES REGARDING THE TOPIC, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. ¶A. (SBU) NEW VISEGRAD-TYPE GROUP: 1) (C) HOW WOULD A VISEGRAD-TYPE GROUP BETWEEN POLAND, ROMANIA, AND UKRAINE BE DIFFERENT FROM THE LARGER VISEGRAD PLUS IDEA? 2) (S) WHEN AND HOW ARE POLISH OFFICIALS CONSIDERING APPROACHING BUCHAREST AND/OR KYIV ABOUT JOINING THE VISEGRAD-TYPE GROUP? 3) (C) HOW DO OFFICIALS FROM THESE COUNTRIES ENVISION A FUTURE ITERATION OF A VISEGRAD-TYPE GROUP WOULD BE FUNDED AND INSTITUTIONALIZED? WILL THESE GROUPS OPERATE ON A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT BASIS? 4) (S) HOW WOULD THE PROPOSED GROUP OPERATE IN RELATION TO EU AND/OR NATO INSTITUTIONS? 5) (SBU) REGARDING UKRAINE, WOULD THE PROPOSED GROUP COMPLEMENT OR OVERLAP WITH THE EU'S EASTERN PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE? 6) (C) HOW WILL THE NEW VISEGRAD-TYPE GROUP RELATE TO THE "KYIV INITIATIVE" AND WILL IT AFFECT THE CURRENT PLANS FOR THE INITIATIVE OF POLAND, UKRAINE, AND BELARUS UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP? ¶B. (SBU) POLISH INFLUENCE IN EUROPE: 1) (SBU) HOW DOES POLAND EXERT PRESSURE ON OTHER COUNTRIES WITHIN THE V-4? 2) (SBU) HOW DOES THE CZECH AMBASSADOR TO POLAND PERCEIVE POLAND'S APPROACH TO V-4 INVOLVEMENT? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-02125 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON