Summit Visit
President Aleksander Kwaśniewski finished his visit to the United States Feb. 9. During his meeting with George W. Bush, Kwaśniewski was promised increased military assistance for Poland. According to Kwaśniewski and Minister of Defense Jerzy Szmajdziński, who accompanied the president, the promised assistance-$100 million in 2006-will be part of what is called the Solidarity Fund, an aid package worth $400 million for countries which are involved in the military operation in Iraq. Congress will soon vote on the funding. The sum will go to expenses such as command and communications equipment to be purchased in the United States, unmanned reconnaissance planes and nocturnal warfare equipment, including night vision units.

Kwaśniewski emphasizes that increased assistance should not be regarded as a reward for the involvement of Polish troops in Iraq. "We are taking part in the mission due to fundamental values," he said. In his conversation with Bush, who will soon travel to Europe, the Polish president remarked on improving relations between the U.S. and the most important countries of the European Union, among which France and Germany opposed the Iraq operation.

After the meeting in the White House, Kwaśniewski also said there were better prospects for the abolition of visas for Poles traveling to the U.S. than during his previous visit to Washington D.C. last year. Kwaśniewski says he and Bush compiled a "road map," or plan to gradually ease restrictions concerning travel by Polish citizens to the U.S. The plan, however, does not mention any specific date for the abolition of visas for Poles, instead, it contains nine points outlining the obligations of the Polish and American governments in this matter. The American administration will implement these tasks in collaboration with Congress.


Polish-Spanish Talks
"You are the champions of Europe, if not the champions of the world" in utilizing structural funds. With these words Prime Minister Marek Belka complimented Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero during Polish-Spanish intergovernmental consultations Feb. 9.

The prime ministers of Poland and Spain reviewed bilateral relations and discussed EU neighborhood relations and further prospects in economic cooperation. "Spain is the champion of the EU's Mediterranean policy," Belka said. "Poland is particularly interested in the eastern region. There are good reasons for mutual support, mutual consulting and gain in terms of both these policy areas." Zapatero, in turn, emphasized how important the meeting was to the extension of cooperation between Spain and Poland in industry, scientific research, development of infrastructure, culture and both countries' joint position on the EU's neighborhood policy.

A key issue during the consultations was the formation of an EU Border Agency to clear up issues related to European immigration. The head of the Spanish government said he would support locating the agency in Poland. Spain will also share its experience in utilizing structural funds with Poland, especially regarding investment in infrastructure.


Prosecutor at the IPN?
The National Remembrance Institute (IPN) notified the public prosecutor's office in Warsaw Feb. 10 of a suspected crime involving the unauthorized copy and release of a database from the IPN's archive. An internal commission to investigate the issue resolved it was unable to determine who was responsible at the IPN. Leon Kieres, IPN president, decided to pass the matter on to the prosecutor's office.

The IPN commission investigated how journalist Bronisław Wildstein had obtained the inventory of persons featured in archives of People's Poland's special services, kept at the IPN. The commission determined the list had probably been released in collaboration with an unidentified IPN employee. Since Feb. 4, the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw has attempted to determine whether the affair surrounding "Wildstein's list" involved a legal infringement of personal data protection (punishable by up to two years of prison) or an abuse of power by an IPN employee (punishable by up to three years of prison). A later notification from the IPN refers to the latter offense. The investigation's third branch of investigation concerns a legal infringement of classified information protection.

The list that Wildstein made public contains tens of thousands of names of undercover collaborators and officers of the special services in People's Poland as well as the names of individuals who were targeted for possible collaboration (the list also features individuals who today may be wronged according to the law on the IPN). The list was published online.


Convoy Under Cover
NATO Response Forces Maritime Group-1 (Standing NRF Maritime Group 1) completed a training exercise on the Baltic Feb. 7-11 under the codename Passex. The vessels made port at the Naval Base in Gdynia. The NATO Response Forces, which took part in anti-terrorist training operations in the Baltic Straits, moved to the south Baltic to take part in strategic maritime transport cover operations as part of an international team. Naval vessels, aircraft and helicopters from Denmark, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany and Poland operated under Rear Admiral Leon Bruin, commodore of Standing NRF Maritime Group 1. The Polish Navy sent frigate ORP Gen. K. Pułaski, corvette ORP Kaszub, submarine ORP Sokół, anti-submarine helicopters SH-2G Super SeaSprite and patrol aircraft M-28 Bryza to participate in the exercise. "The crews of the Polish vessels did a very good job," said Bruin. The crews practiced submarine detection and destruction, unit control, surface monitoring, defense against airborne assaults and enemy targets. The navy vessels coordinated with naval aircraft patrolling the convoy route.

Unfortunately, on the last day of the exercise at around 2 p.m., despite good weather conditions, a Canadian soldier fell overboard and could not be rescued. The vessels subsequently moored in Gdynia with flags lowered to half mast.