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Pole wants Germans to drop claims
By Judy Dempsey International Herald Tribune
Published: October 29, 2006
WARSAW: With the start of his first official visit to Germany on Monday, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski of Poland is calling on Germans to renounce all property claims stretching back to World War II, saying it is time to clear up "misunderstandings" that have brought relations between the countries to their lowest point in many years.
"Misunderstandings can and must be cleared up together," Kaczynski, who leads a nationalist-conservative government, said in an interview to be published Monday in the mass-circulation daily newspaper Bild. "But it makes no sense to remain silent over what causes us in Poland concern."
A few people who were expelled from Poland after World War II are going through the German courts to reclaim their property. The German government has long renounced any restitution claims. But the Polish government remains skeptical.
Seeking to reassure Warsaw, Chancellor Angela Merkel said over the weekend that her government had no property claims on Poland and that the borders between the two countries were recognized.
"With this, we have laid a foundation on which we can work together in trust," Merkel said. She added that Kaczynski's visit was "symbolic of how we should develop our relations as good neighbors in the European Union."
Indeed, the former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder and his Polish counterpart agreed in early 2005 that neither government would support claims pursued by individuals in either country.
Another grievance of the Warsaw government is an exhibition in Berlin organized by the German Federation of Expellees in which it depicts the fate of hundreds of thousands of Germans who were forced to leave Poland after 1945. Kaczynski accused Germany of equating the victims and the perpetrators.
"It has to be clear who were the victims and who were the perpetrators" during World War II, he said when the exhibition opened last August.
The restitution issue is just one of several controversies that have generated a wave of nationalist and anti-German fervor in Poland. Others include Germany's close ties to President Vladimir Putin of Russia and the decision by the Schröder government to build a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea that will bypass Poland.
Despite the sour relations, Merkel has made it clear to her advisers that she wants several hours of talks with Kaczynski in order to try to repair ties before Germany takes over the presidency of the EU in January.
"We are looking for a fresh start," said Ruprecht Polenz, chairman of the foreign affairs of the German Bundestag, or Parliament. "We have a lot of common interests, particularly when it comes to creating new policies for our eastern neighbors, including Ukraine and Moldova."
Polish officials acknowledge that, if they want influence in the EU on issues related to energy security, Russia and Ukraine, it will require much closer relations with Germany.
"It is important that Kaczynski and Merkel establish a relationship," said Pawel Zalewski, foreign affairs spokesman for the Polish Sejm, or Parliament. "We really do need a dialogue with Berlin so that Berlin will consider our interests and concerns."
But it is Germany's relations with Russia - viewed over the centuries with fear and suspicion by Poland - that has aroused the loudest criticism from both Kaczynski and his twin brother, Lech, who is the Polish president.
"No one in Poland cannot but feel the significance of this relationship between Germany and Russia," Zalewski said. "We want good relations with Germany but Germany should understand that Poland's interests must be taken into account."
The Polish government is particularly suspicious about Germany's new "Ostpolitik," or eastern policy, which attempts to reach out to Russia through a network of economic, social, cultural and trade ties in order to bring the country closer to Europe.
Eugeniusz Smolar, director of the Center for International Relations in Warsaw, says the strategy is flawed because it fails to focus on "values," including human rights and press freedom.
"We would love to believe that security was best assured through the spread of democracy and the encouragement of civil society," Smolar said. "It sounds awfully idealistic while dealing with today's Russia."
The Polish government is still bitter over Schroder's decision to build a Russian-German gas pipeline that will run under the Baltic Sea - without consulting Poland. The pipeline will give Russia's giant state-owned energy company direct access to its markets in Western Europe.
"Germany ignored its partners and did damage to creating a common foreign and security policy for the EU," said Smolar. "In this sense, the Kaczynski brothers' patriotic and inward-looking rhetoric could also be perceived as the reaction to such policies."
Merkel has defended the pipeline, saying it would increase energy security for both Germany, which already imports a third of its energy from Russia, and for the EU, which imports more than a quarter from Russia.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/29/news/poland.php
By Judy Dempsey International Herald Tribune
Published: October 29, 2006
WARSAW: With the start of his first official visit to Germany on Monday, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski of Poland is calling on Germans to renounce all property claims stretching back to World War II, saying it is time to clear up "misunderstandings" that have brought relations between the countries to their lowest point in many years.
"Misunderstandings can and must be cleared up together," Kaczynski, who leads a nationalist-conservative government, said in an interview to be published Monday in the mass-circulation daily newspaper Bild. "But it makes no sense to remain silent over what causes us in Poland concern."
A few people who were expelled from Poland after World War II are going through the German courts to reclaim their property. The German government has long renounced any restitution claims. But the Polish government remains skeptical.
Seeking to reassure Warsaw, Chancellor Angela Merkel said over the weekend that her government had no property claims on Poland and that the borders between the two countries were recognized.
"With this, we have laid a foundation on which we can work together in trust," Merkel said. She added that Kaczynski's visit was "symbolic of how we should develop our relations as good neighbors in the European Union."
Indeed, the former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder and his Polish counterpart agreed in early 2005 that neither government would support claims pursued by individuals in either country.
Another grievance of the Warsaw government is an exhibition in Berlin organized by the German Federation of Expellees in which it depicts the fate of hundreds of thousands of Germans who were forced to leave Poland after 1945. Kaczynski accused Germany of equating the victims and the perpetrators.
"It has to be clear who were the victims and who were the perpetrators" during World War II, he said when the exhibition opened last August.
The restitution issue is just one of several controversies that have generated a wave of nationalist and anti-German fervor in Poland. Others include Germany's close ties to President Vladimir Putin of Russia and the decision by the Schröder government to build a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea that will bypass Poland.
Despite the sour relations, Merkel has made it clear to her advisers that she wants several hours of talks with Kaczynski in order to try to repair ties before Germany takes over the presidency of the EU in January.
"We are looking for a fresh start," said Ruprecht Polenz, chairman of the foreign affairs of the German Bundestag, or Parliament. "We have a lot of common interests, particularly when it comes to creating new policies for our eastern neighbors, including Ukraine and Moldova."
Polish officials acknowledge that, if they want influence in the EU on issues related to energy security, Russia and Ukraine, it will require much closer relations with Germany.
"It is important that Kaczynski and Merkel establish a relationship," said Pawel Zalewski, foreign affairs spokesman for the Polish Sejm, or Parliament. "We really do need a dialogue with Berlin so that Berlin will consider our interests and concerns."
But it is Germany's relations with Russia - viewed over the centuries with fear and suspicion by Poland - that has aroused the loudest criticism from both Kaczynski and his twin brother, Lech, who is the Polish president.
"No one in Poland cannot but feel the significance of this relationship between Germany and Russia," Zalewski said. "We want good relations with Germany but Germany should understand that Poland's interests must be taken into account."
The Polish government is particularly suspicious about Germany's new "Ostpolitik," or eastern policy, which attempts to reach out to Russia through a network of economic, social, cultural and trade ties in order to bring the country closer to Europe.
Eugeniusz Smolar, director of the Center for International Relations in Warsaw, says the strategy is flawed because it fails to focus on "values," including human rights and press freedom.
"We would love to believe that security was best assured through the spread of democracy and the encouragement of civil society," Smolar said. "It sounds awfully idealistic while dealing with today's Russia."
The Polish government is still bitter over Schroder's decision to build a Russian-German gas pipeline that will run under the Baltic Sea - without consulting Poland. The pipeline will give Russia's giant state-owned energy company direct access to its markets in Western Europe.
"Germany ignored its partners and did damage to creating a common foreign and security policy for the EU," said Smolar. "In this sense, the Kaczynski brothers' patriotic and inward-looking rhetoric could also be perceived as the reaction to such policies."
Merkel has defended the pipeline, saying it would increase energy security for both Germany, which already imports a third of its energy from Russia, and for the EU, which imports more than a quarter from Russia.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/29/news/poland.php
Poland must give compensation for properties of Germans who were sent out of Poland.
Who cares if Poland was not consulted because of the oil and gas deal with Russia. Germany has to look after its own national interest and not salvage a bankrupt Poland.
And ever since the unification, Germany hasn't been doing too well and so if she looks after her national interest, it is all the more correct.
The bogey of EU and security is all balderdash!
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