The work of the European Convention, transatlantic relations and the eastern dimension of the European Union's policy were the main subjects discussed by Prime Minister Leszek Miller and head of the European Commission Romano Prodi.

Prodi arrived in Warsaw at the invitation of President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, in order to support the campaign preceding the referendum on Poland's accession to the EU. During his meeting with the Polish prime minister, Prodi mentioned the special timing of his visit-in just three weeks Poles will vote on whether they want to join the EU.

According to Miller, the campaign before the referendum in Poland is definitely more intensive and diversified than in Slovakia, where the turnout barely exceeded the required level of 50 percent. "The claim that we might as well join the EU in a year or two from now is false," the prime minister warned. "It is not known when the next EU enlargement will happen." He said that on any later date, Poland would not only have to negotiate with the present 15 member countries, but also with new members.

Next month, the Greek city of Salonika will host an EU summit where the European Convention is going to present its work on the future constitution of the EU. According to Miller, Poland advocates a rotating leadership in the EU, the principle that every country will have its representative in the European Commission and the creation of the EU minister of foreign affairs post. Like other EU countries, Poland believes that the EU should have its own defense policy, but one that is complementary with that of NATO.

"I am convinced that Poland has a significant role to play in the future of Europe," said Prodi. In his opinion, this role is first and foremost related to the eastern dimension of the EU's policy. Once part of the EU, Poland will have the longest eastern border of all member countries. Prodi also said he supported more extensive transatlantic cooperation and actions aimed at increasing the EU's role in the reconstruction of Iraq with United Nations participation in the process.

Prodi said the European Commission would soon send a letter to the governments of six countries entering the EU, Poland included, encouraging the speedy translation of EU legislation. According to Prodi, the addition of a large number of new working languages in the EU will make it necessary to make some expressions more succinct.
At a meeting with Warsaw University students, the head of the European Commission made several references to working out the EU's common foreign and defense policy and transatlantic relations, which cooled somewhat following the Iraq crisis. "Europe needs Poland for its own integrity and Poland needs Europe for its own future," Prodi said. He stressed that in "being in the European family," one had to share all fundamental problems. He believes that in the long run, Poland cannot "have its pocket in Europe, and its security in the United States."

"We have to build a common European foreign and defense policy together and with democratic methods," Prodi said. He made it clear that this could not be done in opposition to the United States. "The construction of the European pillar of NATO is our duty and in our interest," he said.

Prodi referred to some skeptical opinions on the development of a common foreign and defense policy for the EU. He reminded listeners that in the past some economists and even Nobel laureates have said that it was impossible to introduce a common European currency and yet, the euro is reality. "Today, the nations of Europe once again have a chance to do something that has never happened before, to create a common foreign and defense policy for the EU," he said.

Visits from "front-page-news" politicians are part of the government's pre-referendum campaign. Next week, the EU's commissioner for enlargement Günther Verheugen will pay another visit to Poland.