09WARSAW704, CODEL NELSON: POLISH FM PRESSES FOR RESPONSE ON

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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
09WARSAW704	2009-07-08 13:15	2011-08-30 01:44	CONFIDENTIAL	Embassy Warsaw

VZCZCXRO7820
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DE RUEHWR #0704/01 1891315
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 081315Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8563
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 000704 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CE (PIERANGELO, GLANTZ) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2019 
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP OTRA PHUM RS PL
SUBJECT: CODEL NELSON:  POLISH FM PRESSES FOR RESPONSE ON 
PATRIOTS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Victor Ashe 
 
¶1.  (C)  SUMMARY.  Foreign Minister Sikorski told Senator 
Nelson the GoP still hoped the Missile Defense (MD) agreement 
would be implemented, and said he was awaiting clarity 
regarding Patriot missiles.  He said the Patriots should be 
deployed as originally intended -- not as a "sales promotion" 
or a training instrument, but as a demonstration of strong 
U.S.-Polish defense ties.  Sikorski said the Patriot 
rotation, and the subsequent garrison, should build positive 
perceptions about the bilateral relationship, rather than 
reinforcing recent negative impressions.  Sikorski appealed 
for help in bringing Poland into the U.S. Visa Waiver 
program; for U.S. contributions to an international Auschwitz 
preservation foundation; and a "re-launching" of the 
Community of Democracies initiative on its tenth anniversary. 
 Senator Nelson agreed that NATO credibility was on the line 
in Afghanistan, and praised Polish troop increases there.  He 
said the U.S. must not "cut a deal" with Russians on MD that 
would hurt Poland's interests, and emphasized that Russia has 
to accept MD, ideally as a contributor to the system. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
HONORING ORIGINAL INTENTIONS RE: THE PATRIOTS 
 
¶2.  (C)  During a June 29 meeting with Codel Nelson, Foreign 
Minister Sikorski asked about the latest U.S. thinking on 
Missile Defense (MD).  The GoP had understood during the 
negotiating process that the next U.S. administration would 
be less enthusiastic about MD, but on balance, the Poles 
still believe the system should move forward, and NATO had 
officially "blessed" the program. Sikorski said he was 
looking forward to receiving a response to his letter to 
Secretary Clinton regarding U.S. plans to deploy a rotation 
of Patriot missiles in Poland.  (NOTE:  The Secretary's 
response was received the next day.)  The rotation should 
take place as originally intended -- not as a "sales 
promotion" or for training purposes only, but as a sign of 
the strength of the U.S.-Polish defense relationship.  Part 
of the mission of the battery in Germany is the defense of 
Israel; when transferred to Poland it should also have the 
capability to defend Poland.  There needs to be an agreement 
on the details of the Patriot rotation; the discussions had 
not yet begun, but the GoP hoped the rotation would occur 
soon. 
 
NEED TO IMPROVE PERCEPTIONS OF THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP 
 
¶3.  (C)  Sikorski said the Patriot rotation should contribute 
to positive perceptions of the bilateral relationship. 
Unfortunately, Poles had been disappointed over commercial 
contracts that failed to materialize in Iraq, and by leaks 
about counterterrorism cooperation.  Sikorski said the 
alleged secret U.S. prison camps in Poland did not exist, but 
speculation that they did exist was coming out of U.S. 
agencies.  Senator Nelson responded that the U.S. does not 
yet have the clear answer on MD that Poland needs.  He 
understood some Poles are worried the U.S. could cut a deal 
with Russia at Poland's expense, but that must not be allowed 
to happen.  He would not be surprised if the Russian 
Government withdrew its opposition to the MD program.  If 
Russia took part in the program it would be good for Russia, 
the U.S., Poland and NATO.  He would be meeting later with 
the Russian Ambassador to Poland and with a Russian Senator, 
and would make clear as always that Russia needs to accept 
the MD program, like it or not. 
 
POLISH RESOLVE IN AFGHANISTAN 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  On Afghanistan, Sikorski noted that Polish troop 
levels in ISAF had increased to 2,200, and he personally 
hoped there would be further increases next year.  Poland had 
reduced its participation in UN missions, where there is no 
shortage of contributing countries, to focus on a place -- 
Southern Afghanistan -- where fresh troop offers are hard to 
come by.  NATO must win in Afghanistan, since its credibility 
is at stake.  Senator Nelson agreed that NATO must win in 
Afghanistan, and expressed appreciation for Poland's 
contributions in that country, as well as for previous Polish 
contributions in Iraq. 
 
CONCERN ABOUT VISA WAIVER PROGRAM 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Sikorski expressed concern over Poland's ongoing 
exclusion from the U.S. visa waiver program, saying that 
Poles can travel everywhere else they wanted -- to Canada, 
 
WARSAW 00000704  002 OF 002 
 
 
Australia, other EU countries, etc. -- without visas.  It is 
a shame that it is so much harder for Poles to travel to the 
U.S. than to the rest of Europe.  In a reference to the 
requirement that visa applicants show strong ties to their 
country of origin, Sikorski noted that Polish emigrants are 
starting to return from the Unite
d States, because there are 
greater economic opportunities for them in their own country. 
 With a playful smile, Sikorski noted that U.S. visa officers 
have the discretion to reduce the visa rejection rate to 10 
percent, but have not done so. 
 
PRESERVING AUSCHWITZ 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Referring to Prime Minister Tusk's letter to 
President Obama on the subject, Sikorski drew attention to 
the GoP request for U.S. contributions to a new fund for the 
preservation in perpetuity of the Auschwitz concentration 
camp.  The Auschwitz infrastructure was not built to last, 
and the barracks needed to be restored.  Poland had preserved 
the site since World War II and would continue to do so, but 
other countries should help; several countries have pledged 
contributions.  Senator Nelson noted that the U.S. Congress 
had pledged financial support for the Warsaw museum of the 
History of Polish Jews, and he promised to explore the 
possibility of U.S. contributions to the Auschwitz Foundation 
as well.  Ambassador Ashe underlined the intense interest of 
the American Jewish community in Auschwitz preservation 
efforts. 
 
US-POLISH TEAMWORK ON COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Sikorski said he hoped the U.S. would join Poland 
in the "relaunching" of the Community of Democracies on the 
occasion of its tenth anniversary next year.  The CD, 
initiated jointly by Poland and the U.S., combined U.S. power 
with recent Polish experience creating a democracy.  The CD 
can create a new, democracy-based caucus at the UN to balance 
regional voting blocs.  Practical projects include a CD 
handbook for diplomats and dissidents that shows how foreign 
ministries can support democratization.  Poland is planning 
to host a meeting with Afghan women next year, since a key 
part of democracy is the protection of minorities, and women 
are a strategic asset in democratization efforts.  Poland is 
also planning a meeting of dissidents from countries like 
Burma, North Korea, Iran, Russia, and Cuba.  Senator Nelson 
agreed that democracy is about more than elections, and said 
the international community needed to promote a more 
realistic concept of what democracy means. 
 
POLISH FINANCES 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The Foreign Minister noted that his ministry had 
enacted painful cost-saving measures over the last year, and 
more were likely, in light of expected zero growth in 
Poland's GDP next year and some unfavorable currency exchange 
trends.  Unlike the United States, the GoP had not opted for 
a stimulus package, but had sought to control deficits.  The 
Senator noted that as a two-term governor of Nebraska, he had 
put together eight straight budgets without a deficit, and 
had left a surplus in the state treasury.  He had helped lead 
a bipartisan Senate group that cut $110 million in 
non-stimulative spending from a House of Representatives 
stimulus package. 
 
Codel Nelson has cleared on this cable. 
ASHE

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