Belka fails to convince President Bush to lift visas for Poles

Warsaw Business Journal ^ | 10th August 2004

[Grzegorz 246]

Prime Minister Marek Belka met on Monday with American President George W. Bush, after an earlier meeting with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Belka, in accordance with earlier announcements, argued the case for handing over more military power to the Iraqi government. Belka said after the meeting with Rumsfeld that the Polish division in Iraq will be cooperating with Iraqi defense force in a much closer way. He added that he did not talk about reducing the Polish military presence in the country, but admitted that Poland would like to withdraw some of its soldiers in 2005. The talks with the US president dispelled any hopes for annulling visas for Poles traveling to USA, but the conditions might be slightly improved. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, A5) M.M.

[Atlantic Friend]

Poland would not reduce its troops number but would withdraw some of its soldiers ?

What do you make of this, Grzegorz ? Does it mean there will be some rotation ? Or does PM Belka plan on an overall reduction of coalition forces in Iraq that would allow Poland to pull back some soldiers while retaining the same percentile of Allied troops ?

[Ronaldus Magnus]

So let me get the straight, under the U.S. Visa Waver Program, visitors from backstabbing nation's like France and New Zealand can walk right in while the citizens of nations like Poland who are fighting with us in Iraq can't? We need to do a better job or figuring out who are friends are and treating them accordingly.

[ppaul]

It is indeed a shame when our allies, the Polish people, cannot freely travel to the United States, but the French are able to. The draconian visa restrictions on Poles are the same as they were under communism. Poland led the way in throwing off the shackles of communism. And this is our way of saying "thanks"?

[Grzegorz 246]

"He added that he did not talk about reducing the Polish military presence in the country, but admitted that Poland would like to withdraw some of its soldiers in 2005."

Last rotation was just about a week ago. We are changing soldiers every 6 month. There is third shift in Iraq now. All of them (2450) will stay there till January 2005.
What next ? Multinational force under Polish command have trained 20.000 Iraqi Police and ING members, so we think that it will be possible to reduce coalition force in Iraq in next year. Belka said a few days ago something about 1500 soldiers, who will remain in Iraq in 2005, but It depends on situation in this country. We have now about 4200 soldiers in foreign missions and we still aren't able to send more of them. NATO want more Polish soldiers in Afghanistan all the time (now we have only 100 there), so I'm sure that we will send more of them to Afghanistan If situation in Iraq will be better and then we will reduce contingent in Iraq.

[Atlantic Friend]

I see. Thanks !