Military

DATE=5/30/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-303807

TITLE=POLAND / EUROPE / U-S (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON

DATELINE=BRUSSELS

CONTENT=

INTRO: President Bush arrives in Poland Friday to thank the country for rallying behind the U-S-led war in Iraq, which was opposed by other major European countries like France and Germany. V-O-A correspondent Roger Wilkison reports Mr. Bush's visit will cement Poland's status as an increasingly important friend of the United States.

TEXT: Poland was a staunch ally of the United States in the Iraq war. And even though it only contributed about 200 troops to the effort, Washington has asked Warsaw to command a multi-lateral peacekeeping force in one of the four occupation zones that are being set up in post-war Iraq.

But Poland's emergence as a key player in the U-S world-view has ruffled feathers elsewhere in Europe.

Among French and German officials, there is a feeling that Poland is getting a little too much attention from the United States, and that it may be an unreliable European partner in the future. Some German press reports have used the term Trojan donkey to describe a Poland seen as doing America's bidding in Europe, rather than supporting the Franco-German policy of creating a European counterbalance to American power.

That makes the Poles feel a little uncomfortable because they know that, after they join the European Union next year, they will need the backing of France and Germany to reap the benefits of membership, such as large-scale farm aid and massive funding for infrastructure projects.

Still, public opinion surveys indicate most Poles feel that the United States is the ultimate guarantor of Poland's security, a view that is understandable given the country's history of occupation by its next-door neighbors, Germany and Russia.

At the London School of Economics, professor and former Polish government adviser, Stansilaw Gomulka says Poland is seeking to balance its economic interests with its strategic interests.

///GOMULKA ACTUALITY///

For economic relations, the European Union is certainly the number one option for Poland. Poland wants to be a very credible and full member of the European Union and, indeed, to join the European Monetary Union soon afterwards. But, at the same time, strategically, the United States is recognized to be the leader of the western alliance, and Poland recently joined NATO and wants to play simply a full member role of that alliance and recognize the United States as the leader of the western alliance, and wants to coordinate its policies with that country.

///END ACTUALITY///

President Bush will be the second top western leader to visit Poland in less than 24 hours. On Friday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in Warsaw to urge Poles to turn out and vote yes in a referendum on the country's E-U membership next weekend for the sake of the European continent.

///BLAIR ACTUALITY///

Europe is not a threat. Europe is Poland's opportunity. Staying out is not a sign of Polish strength. It would lead to Polish weakness. In this era of globalization, nations like ours need to come together as allies and fashion this new Europe for our and others' national interests.

///END ACTUALITY///

Mr. Blair hopes that, as an E-U member, Poland will join Britain, Italy and Spain in fending off what they see as the Franco-German drive to dominate the bloc.

Most Poles say they favor joining the E-U, but the result of the referendum will only be binding if more than 50 percent of registered voters cast their ballots.

The British leader also urged Europe and the United States to heal the rift over the war in Iraq. He said the world is now entering what he called a crucial time, either for reconciliation or drifting apart. (signed)

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