Europe

Waszczykowski: “the German media are drawing the wrong poles-image”

Germany and Poland will celebrate 25 years of good neighbourhood. However, the Polish foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski complained Interview in the DW-that stereotypes about Poland in the foreground.

DW: 25 years after the signing of the German-Polish neighbourhood Treaty, some politicians of the government party would be useful to negotiate a new one. What I don’t like the poles?

You would have to establish more symmetry in the Rights of the German minority in Poland and the Poland, living in Germany. We want you to be aligned, for example, that Polish children can learn easily in Germany, their native language. In 1991, the don’t stand in the foreground, because at that time our main goal was to come in the Western structures. The contract we saw as a milestone on the path to NATO and the EU, and Germany, as a supporter of our ambitions.

The rights of poles in Germany today are really the most important bilateral issue?

We need to openly talk about it, you don’t have to fight. We want the poles in Germany minority status, as prior to 1940. The most Important today is the question but the Image: the German media are drawing, in my opinion, not an objective image of Poland. It may be due to the different level of knowledge. We have many experts on Polish-German relations and Germany. Conversely, such Expertise about Poland, but is absent in Germany – even though some things changed. Stereotypes continue to play a major role and if the media set a new Trend, it’s hard to change him. If a particular Narrative prevails, good news and a different point of view no Chance. Poland is and will remain a democratic country, where there were normal elections, change of power, society has accepted that. Nevertheless, a part of the German media paints a bad, incorrect Poland-image. As Poland would be anti-European.

German media show, what you see for months on the Polish roads: thousands of people demonstrating for democracy.

It is a small group. A few Thousand Malcontents are not in a Two-million city like Warsaw a lot. In France or somewhere else thousands go out on the street, nuclear power plants, and subways come to a standstill. Poland is no exception. The citizens have a right to freedom of expression. This shows that democracy works.

Why should you teach suddenly in Germany a negative Poland-image?

We have become accustomed to describe the current Polish-German relations as the best in history. The previous governments have but these relationships are relatively uncritical seen. Of course, there were, in the history hardly any time so well-oriented, friendly, peaceful and cooperative as it is today. But if we think of the peculiarity of this relationship, we must not turn a blind eye to the fact that we have different points of view. Among partners this is possible.

The NATO military exercise “Anaconda” in Poland

I don’t want to talk about differences. With Germany a Mature partnership where we address open to the differences that unites us. Some of the media beat, then unfortunately, the Alarm, as we would destroy the relationship. There are objective differences in the safety, security, energy and economic policy. If we now draw attention to the differences, feel some in Germany are uncomfortable because we have our own energy policy or interests other than Western Europe. The different interests have their reason: We are (geographically) somewhere else and have a different relationship to Russia.

Russia is the reason why Germans and poles are divided?

With Frank-Walter Steinmeier, we talk openly about it. We distinguish ourselves in regard to Russia, but also in the question of solutions to the problems in Europe – or how it in the future should look like. To us the attitude of Britain to thwart the European super-state.

The cooperation with Germany to Poland is today a priority?

We work extensively in the economy, there is even talk of a symbiosis. In 2015, we had a trading volume of around 90 billion euros. Poland is the seventh trade partner of Germany is today. Now we need a good-neighborly cooperation in the security. Poland is a flank country of NATO and that will remain for decades. In addition, we have borders in conflict regions. No other country in the EU or NATO has a border with an Aggressor and the victim of this Aggression, Russia and the Ukraine. That is why we now expect Germany’s understanding on this point – as well as positive decisions at the NATO summit in Warsaw.

Germany belongs to the countries, which are committed to the strengthening of the NATO Eastern flank.

Us, the deterrence concept but separates. We believe that the deterrence will be successful if NATO stationed with us troops. In the German Argumentation, which is seen as confrontational towards Russia. That’s what distinguishes us.

How it works with the rapprochement of the positions?

There is progress in the work of NATO. The Alliance brings battalions in four countries, i.e. Poland and the Baltic States. It clarifies who takes part in the process. The Germans should have for Lithuania decided.

What needs to happen in order to capture the NATO summit in Warsaw as a success?

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Comment: New Visionaries need the neighborhood!

25 years ago the German-Polish neighbourhood Treaty was signed. The anniversary comes at a politically turbulent time and there is a lack of good ideas for a vibrant neighborhood, says Rosalia Romaniec. (16.06.2016)

There must be decisions as to the presence on the Eastern flank, as well as in relation to the danger from the South. Also, the cooperation NATO – EU is an important issue. Some make jokes about the “frozen conflict”, so I hope it thaws soon. Another point is the relations to Russia are: It is more than the usual contacts and Meetings of the NATO-Russia Council – which has so far brought little in the way. The key to better relations is located in Moscow. There, you violated the international humanitarian law, and from there you attacked a different state and supported rebels. We can’t forget everything and the sanctions will cancel. You need a penalty, however, allows you to return to the Dialog.

What will you toast to at the Polish-German celebrations?

On good-neighbourliness, friendship and peace. The biggest success since 1945 is that we had no major war in Europe. There are occasional conflicts, such as in the Balkans or in Ukraine, but no war, how you had him for a long time in Europe. Reasons for this are also strong economic and political ties. So I’m going to drink a toast to peace, but also on European and TRANS-Atlantic institutions, representing the interests of all member countries.