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Ambassador
Victor Ashe |
President
George W. Bush visited Poland Friday, June
8, for the third time as President. While
brief, it was personal and memorable. The
meeting was in an informal atmosphere, set
against the breathtaking backdrop of the
Baltic seacoast at the Polish President’s
residence on the Hel Peninsula. President
Bush traveled directly to Poland from the
G-8 Summit in Germany for his meeting with
President Kaczynski.
The
two First Ladies, Laura Bush and Maria Kaczynska,
dined together with their aides, my wife
Joan, and Beata Wachowiak-Zwara, a medal-winning
athlete on Poland’s mono-ski team.
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Separately,
the two Presidents and a small group of
their senior advisors met over a working
dinner; those present on the U.S. side included
White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten;
National Security adviser Steven Hadley;
White House Communications Director Dan
Bartlett; Deputy Secretary of State John
Negroponte; and myself. After dinner we
all sat down together in a casual atmosphere
that recalled a family gathering, with the
Kaczynskis’ granddaughter Ewa adding charm
and playfulness to the setting.
The
informal atmosphere and extraordinary Polish
hospitality allowed the two Presidents to
speak openly and directly to one another,
and to discuss the important challenges
that we face as allies – from energy security
and the enlargement of NATO to the future
of Kosovo and the advancement of democracy.
President
Bush recognized Poland’s role in advancing
democratic causes around the globe –whether
in neighboring Belarus, in America’s neighbor
Cuba, or in NATO expeditionary efforts in
Afghanistan – and sought President Kaczynski’s
views, especially with regard to Belarus
and Ukraine. Given its own history, Poland
has made a special contribution to advancing
democratic causes with actions, not just
words.
Of
course, the topic of missile defense was
a major topic of conversation, especially
after the proposal by President Vladimir
Putin the previous day to include a Russian
radar in Azerbaijan as part of a European
missile defense shield. The two Presidents
share a commitment that the future security
of NATO will remain as strong and indivisible
as in the past. President Bush stressed
his commitment to ensuring that a missile
defense shield in Europe will also serve
Poland’s national security. The two Presidents
left the details of a missile defense agreement
to the negotiators, who only recently held
their first round of talks and will continue
work when they meet again later this month.
One
of the most important points to emerge from
these talks in Jurata was a clear message
from both presidents that the proposed missile
defense shield is not directed at Russia
and will not affect Russian security, but
is rather a response against rogue regimes
which have a goal of developing a long-range
missile capability that could strike Europe
and the United States. In President Bush’s
view, President Putin’s recent recognition
of the need for missile defense is an important
step toward starting a constructive dialogue,
and his proposal to use Russians radars
in Azerbaijan could open the door to possible
cooperation in responding to the emerging
missile threat from the Middle East.
In
conclusion, the meeting at Jurata strengthened
the two leaders’ personal bonds. It marked
a step forward in our bilateral relations,
and it set the stage for President Kaczynski’s
visit to Washington on July 16 to continue
the important work of the two leaders.
Recently
President Bush asked me to continue as U.S.
Ambassador to Poland for the rest of his
term in office. I am honored to accept the
President’s request. It is a great privilege
to serve as Ambassador in Poland and continue
our important work.
Sincerely yours,
Victor Ashe
U.S. Ambassador to Poland
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