ANALYSIS: Polish-Ukrainian Forum holds first session (03/26/00)

ANALYSIS

Polish-Ukrainian Forum holds first session

by Jan Maksymiuk
RFE/RL Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report

PRAGUE - The Polish-Ukrainian Forum - the association established on an initiative of 16 people, including Poland's Justice Minister Hanna Suchocka, Vice Minister for Internal Affairs Bogdan Borusewicz, and Jerzy Rejt, former chairman of the Union of Ukrainians in Poland - held its inaugural session in the Parliament building in Warsaw on February 19, the PAP news agency reported. The forum is headed by Henryk Wujec, a lawmaker from the Freedom Union.

"The forum's main goal is to translate the strategic partnership of Poland and Ukraine into practical actions in all spheres, from bilateral trade through security and defense issues to scientific and cultural cooperation," Mr. Wujec commented. He noted that a twin organization, the Ukrainian-Polish Forum, has already begun its activities in Ukraine.

Mr. Wujec declared that the forum will be seeking to "neutralize and counteract" any possible negative consequences for Ukraine following Poland's accession to the European Union.

However, Jerzy Osiatynski, Mr. Wujec's party colleague, noted that there is a great discrepancy between Poland's intended goals in its policy toward Ukraine and Poland's ability to achieve those goals. "We are not able to take Ukraine into our arms and carry her to the EU," Mr. Osiatynski said, adding that a policy of "small steps" is advisable.

According to Marek Ziolkowski, chief of the Eastern Europe Department in the Foreign Ministry, Poland's assistance to Ukraine on its path toward Europe will consist largely of organizing programs to educate the Ukrainian public about the EU and sharing Polish experience in EU negotiations.

The forum also discussed the issue of establishing a Polish-Ukrainian university. The rectors of five institutions of higher education in Lublin, eastern Poland, have declared their willingness to organize such a university in their city. The forum set up an expert team to work out an appropriate project and present it to the government and the Parliament of Poland.

Jan Maksymiuk is the Belarus, Ukraine and Poland specialist on the staff of RFE/RL Newsline.

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