Talks between the Polish and U.S. presidents
On Saturday, Bronisław Komorowski spoke with Barack Obama about visas, trade cooperation, support for democracy in Eastern Europe and plans for the construction of NATO’s common anti-missile shield.
At a press conference, President Komorowski reminded that visas had already been discussed during his visit to the United States. “I am really satisfied that today the U.S. President presented some concrete ideas to solve this issue which unnecessarily burdens Polish-American relations” said Komorowski, adding that President Obama informed him that preliminary talks with Congress had been held to change the visa system.
The Polish president said that they also discussed Eastern European politics. He added that they both agreed that the problem of civil rights in Belarus should be approached firmly, recalling the ongoing campaign to release a Polish journalist kept in detention.
The Polish president also expressed his satisfaction with the direct meeting with the Ukrainian president. “I would like to see Ukraine as a country which consistently, though not necessarily very spectacularly, strives to deepen its relationships with the Western world” the Polish President declared.
Bronisław Komorowski said that Barack Obama’s words about maintaining the open character of NATO and the EU deeply touched the hearts and minds of many leaders in this part of Europe. The Polish President confirmed that the Lisbon arrangements regarding the construction of NATO’s common anti-missile shield are fully reflected in the political actions of the United States and NATO as a whole.
Another issue discussed during Saturday’s meeting was trade relations between Poland and the U.S. President Komorowski assured that talks would be continued to promote American business in Poland and attract American technologies.
After the talks, both presidents met at the Presidential Palace with the leaders of the former anti-communist opposition and representatives of political parties.
After the meeting, Barack Obama was invited to a working breakfast held by the Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, at the Prime Minister’s Office.
At about 3 PM, at the end of his visit to Warsaw, the U.S. President visited the Field Cathedral of the Polish Army and laid a wreath at the "Smoleńsk Plaque" commemorating all the victims of the 10 April 2010 Polish plane disaster near Smoleńsk.