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Geopolitics

02.09.2010

Warsaw suggests integrating Minsk

Belarusian-Russian relations are in a rather complicated stage. Yet, there is no doubt that the states will eventually find middle ground on all controversial issues. Confidence in the stability of integration aspirations makes it possible to watch (not without interest) as against the background of our temporary contradictions there arise various concepts of division of the two Slavic sister-countries. “An old song in a new way” is heard from Warsaw. Surely, one can allege that newly elected president – Bronislaw Komorowski – and his team have started strategic planning of Polish policy in relation to Belarus, while experts and political scientists are trying to prove the concept of Warsaw’s dominance in interesting for it regions. Expert work goes on and its results are periodically presented to the public and political elite.

Belarusian-Russian relations are in a rather complicated stage. Yet, there is no doubt that the states will eventually find middle ground on all controversial issues. Confidence in the stability of integration aspirations makes it possible to watch (not without interest) as against the background of our temporary contradictions there arise various concepts of division of the two Slavic sister-countries. “An old song in a new way” is heard from Warsaw. Surely, one can allege that newly elected president – Bronis?aw Komorowski – and his team have started strategic planning of Polish policy in relation to Belarus, while experts and political scientists are trying to prove the concept of Warsaw’s dominance in interesting for it regions. Expert work goes on and its results are periodically presented to the public and political elite.

For instance, in a recent publication of the prestigious "Gazeta Wyborcza” political scientist Martin Wojciechowski directly suggests implementing a strategy of creeping integration of Belarus into the European Union. “Recent years have shown that a dialogue with Minsk is much better than sanctions and isolation,” says the expert and doubts the chances of the opposition “to assume power in the near future”. M.Wojciechowski is certain that Warsaw needs to support the process of drawing Belarus into all-European economic processes (this point shouldn’t be disregarded by those Russian economists who try their best to push Belarusian goods out of Russia – one can recollect “milk” and other wars). Polish political scientist expects that economic integration with the EU, in the long-run, will lead to a change in the foreign policy of Belarus as well as to internal political changes.

One can say for sure – Wojciechowski’s concept will be popular with Polish President and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There may be some minor deviations, but the main idea – drawing Belarus into cooperation with the EU, euro-integration – will remain. Well, is Moscow ready to new approaches of Poles?