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COOPERATION POTENTIAL BETWEEN ARMENIA AND POLAND IS VAST

Charge d'affaires ad interim of Poland in Armenia Pyotr Ivashkevich told ARMINFO in an exclusive interview.

Pyotr Ivashkevich was born in 1959. Has worked at the Foreign Ministry of Poland since 1992. He is historian. Received diplomatic education at the German Diplomatic Academy. Worked mainly in the Caucasian region. Was an executive of the OSCE Georgia Mission in 1996-1998. Is charge d'dffaires ad interim of Poland in Armenia.

Q.As a rule, the opening of an embassy symbolizes a transition of bilateral relations to a qualitatively new level, first of all, in policy.

A: Considering the fact that Armenia is the only country in the South Caucasus which has its embassy in Poland, our country decided to open its embassy in Armenia; the more so as we already have embassies in Tbilisi and Baku.

I hope that the opening of our embassy in Yerevan will raise the level of the Armenian-Polish relations. Besides, thanks to the Pontiff's visit to Armenia, this country appeared on the air of all the international TV channels. Besides being very important spiritually, this visit was a question of prestige for Armenia. It will surely stimulate the development of our cooperation.

Q. How would you qualify the current level of political relations between Armenia and Poland?

A: Political relations between Armenia and Poland are very friendly, however, we could have achieved better results and more intensive contacts. I hope that after the Nov 15-17 visit of Poland's President Aleksander Kwasniewski, they will become much better.

I would like to stress one more aspect of our cooperation, Poland has passed the whole way Armenia is passing or has to pass now. We also were a member of the Socialist camp, we are much alike and faced all the difficulties Armenia is facing now. We are ready to share our experience with Armenia if the Armenian side wishes. I would like to note that there is a vast potential for bilateral cooperation.

Q.What is the stance of Warsaw on the Karabakh conflict settlement?

A: In this aspect, we welcome Armenia's entering the CE. Although the simultaneous admission of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the CE was just symbolic, this fact inspires hope that some advances will be made in the Karabakh conflict settlement. This conflict impedes the economic development of the region in general and of Armenia in particular.

Q. What do you think about the state of the trade-economic cooperation?

A: Last year Poland's economy and trade minister visited Armenia, accompanied by a large group of Polish businessmen. During the visit the sides discussed the prospects for increasing the volume of trade between our states. Nevertheless, the Armenian side has taken no measures in this direction so far. The trade turnover between Armenia and Poland is insignificant. However, there is a great cooperation potential here. To achieve this the legal basis must be improved.

Poland and Armenia have so far signed an agreement on economic and trade cooperation. A number of other agreements should be added to this one, which would make it easier for the countries to cooperate in the sphere of economy and trade.

As you know, there was an effective Armenian-Polish cooperation as far back as the times of the Soviet Union and many Armenian goods have been known in Poland since the Soviet times. Among them is, first of all, the Armenian brandy. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find it in Poland today. The Polish consumer would be very pleased to buy Armenian goods, first of all, agricultural products. Besides, Armenia has been known as a center of chemical production since the Soviet times.

Let's hope that the visit of the Polish president will encourage the development of the bilateral trade-economic cooperation as well.

Q. Is it planned to sign any documents during the visit?

A: The documents to be signed are being drafted. Naturally, the Polish president will come to Armenia with a group of businessmen. I hope that our relations will see certain progress this time.

One can't say that there are no economic contacts between Armenia and Poland. There are indirect ones. For example, many Armenian entrepreneurs ask me to give them the addresses of Polish businessmen. The same is for Polish businessmen looking for partners in Armenia. We try to bring them together.

Q. Can one infer that the forthcoming visit of Aleksander Kwasniewski to Armenia will foretoken an activation of the trade-economic cooperation?

A: Naturally, both the economic and political aspects of bilateral relations will be touched on during the visit. The visit won't be merely economic, however, economy will be one of the key subjects on its agenda.

Q. Did you have time during your stay in Armenia to get acquainted with the country's economy?

A: Judging from the statistics, I should say that I'm impressed by the rate of the Armenian economy's development.

Q. What are the prospects for the investment of Polish capital in Armenia's economy?

A: It's early yet to speak about such prospects as it's very the issue where the legal basis must first be improved. For example, it is necessary to make an agreement on the mutual protection of investments to be able to speak seriously about the prospects for Poland's investing its capital in Armenia's economy. I should say that Armenia is becoming more and more attractive for foreign investors.

Q. Could you specify the spheres where cooperation has any prospects?

A: There are many spheres in which Polish businessmen might invest money, particularly, the sphere of copper production, besides, agriculture, the chemical industry, having great potential for development in Armenia, and electronics.

Q: Do you see any prospects in the military cooperation between Armenia and Poland?

A: At present we don't have contacts in this sphere, but, I believe this is a very prospective sphere for cooperation between Poland and Armenia. Armenia is developing an active cooperation with many NATO states, I mean first of all Greece, which assists Armenia in forming a peacemaking battalion. I think it would be great if Poland could also take part in such a cooperation. Nothing has been said about that yet but this may be one of the issues to be considered during the Polish president's visit to Yerevan.

Q: Poland is a country homing one of the oldest Armenian communities. What is the current state of Poland's Armenian community?

A: Armenians got to Poland as far back as the Middle Age. Over 200,000 Armenians lived in Poland at that moment, which is a very large number for the medieval times. The Armenians were concentrated first of all in the south-eastern districts of the then Poland. The Polish Armenians kept their language, culture and religion intact for a long time, there are many Armenian churches over those territories. After these lands were annexed to the Soviet Union, most of the Armenians fled to the territory of the present-day Poland. Although they don't speak their language already one can trace Armenian roots in their surnames.

There have never been any problems with the Armenian community of Poland. On the contrary, this community has given Poland many outstanding figures and notable personalities, who have made their great contribution to the development of the country's economy and culture?

Q: However, there are many Armenians living in Poland illegally and having come to this country over the last years. How are things with these Armenians?

A: Indeed, we have such problems in Poland. Different figures are cited: from 25,000 to 250,000 people. The point is that until very recently Armenia and Poland enjoyed a visa-waiver regime and many Armenians used to come and remain in Poland on an illegal basis. Unfortunately, among them were representatives of criminal groups who used to infiltrate Poland for different reasons continuing their illegal activities in our country. There was even a time when Armenians accounted for the greater part of the foreign prisoners in Poland's jails. Though not fully resolved this problem is not as acute now as before.

Q: What are the spheres of activity of the Armenian criminal groups in Poland?

A: There was a time, for example, when emigrants from Armenia nearly monopolized the market of faked CDs and software.

But, on the other hand, I would not like to create an impression that all Armenian living in Poland are engaged in criminal activities. Most of them have their lucrative businesses. For example, after the flood in Poland Armenian vendors at a Polish market sent an aid to the victims.

5 October
Arman Tarjimanian, ARMINFO