President: Canada, Poland share views on Ukrainian issues - News - National Security Bureau

23.10.2014

President: Canada, Poland share views on Ukrainian issues

Closer cooperation, the Polish expatriate community in Canada and the Ukraine situation were the main topics of Thursday's talks between President Bronislaw Komorowski and Governor-General of Canada David Johnston in Warsaw.

"I wish to extend my sincere condolences ... for the death of two Canadian soldiers in a situation that has to be understood as a real-term increase of the threat of terrorism," President Bronislaw Komorowski said in connection with the recent attacks on soldiers in Ottawa and near Montreal.

At a joint press conference after the talks President Komorowski underlined that this was the first official visit of a governor-general of Canada in Poland. Komorowski said that he hoped it would mean "a much anticipated and desirable intensification of cooperation between our countries in all areas - political as well as economic."

"I want to emphasise Poland's gratitude for the presence of Canadian soldiers in Polish territory as part of NATO exercises, as one form of NATO's response to the increased threat to its entire eastern flank due to Russia's aggression against Ukraine," the Polish president also said.

"I also extend our thanks that Poland and Canada largely share the same point of view, as shown during the talks and decisions at the NATO summit in Newport," Bronislaw Komorowski continued.

The president added that there were very good foundations for Polish-Canadian cooperation, for example due to the presence of a large group of Polish immigrants and people of Polish descent in Canada.

"I have high hopes that Polish emigres in Canada will facilitate Polish-Canadian cooperation in many areas, including ... innovation and know-how, scientific and technical knowledge, because that is the way to increase the competitiveness of our economies against the rest of the world," President Komorowski said.

"Our joint Polish-Canadian outlook on Ukraine stems from the large Ukrainian diaspora in Canada and the fact that Poland neighbours Ukraine, obliging us to support Ukraine and encourage its deep systemic reforms, because only they are realistically able to safeguard Ukrainian independence and Ukraine's efforts to be part of the Western world," the Polish president also remarked.

Source: president.pl, PAP