The Hindu : Polish PM plays down divisions in Europe on Iraq issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2003

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Polish PM plays down divisions in Europe on Iraq issue

By K. K. Katyal

Leszek Miller

NEW DELHI FEB. 17. Poland does not like any division of Europe — between old and new. "Europe did not overcome divisions to be divided again. We have to maintain unity,'' says Poland's Prime Minister, Leszek Miller, here on a visit.

Mr. Miller dealt with this and other subjects, notably bilateral relationship, in an exclusive interview. He played down differences in Europe over Iraq. "It is not a real division. The entire Europe will support the U.S. position on Iraq. Differences are tactical, not strategic. Everybody wants Saddam Hussein to be disarmed. They differ only on the means.''

Poland is a staunch supporter of the U.S. It became a member of NATO with the backing of Washington and has since extended support to the U.S. on all manner of issues. It is a prominent country of "new Europe'', as against France and Germany, derisively dismissed by the U.S. Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, who approvingly referred to a "new Europe'', mostly comprising the erstwhile Soviet bloc countries.

Mr. Miller is the first Prime Minister of Poland to visit India after 18 years. He attached significance to his visit because of its focus on cooperation on political, trade and other economic matters. He particularly referred to the innovative cooperative arrangement between the two countries on defence production. He saw it as a corollary of the process of privatisation and modernisation, undertaken by his country. (This was the subject of a memorandum of understanding between the Defence Committee of CII and its Polish counterparts, under the auspices of the two Governments).

The move to promote economic cooperation was also considered important because of its timing — it came on the eve of Poland's entry into the European Union.

In the area of trade, the two sides, he noted, had switched from traditional items and raw materials to software and high technology, in which India had made big strides. He would be going to Bangalore tomorrow to see the scope of cooperation in this area.

He regarded India as an important partner of Poland. Next year, the two countries would complete 50 years of cooperation, he noted.

The two transitions of Poland — one, from the State-controlled to market economy following the disintegration of the Soviet bloc and the other, arising out of the country's impending entry into the EU — were the favourite subject of Mr. Miller's conversation.

His Government planned a referendum in June on the EU participation. His aides expected comfortable support from the people.

Mr. Miller attached considerable significance to the referendum and had staked the future of his Government and his political career on the "yes'' vote.

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