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<TITLE>Polish Prime Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz...The Evolution of
Europe and the NATO Alliance</TITLE>
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<CENTER><FONT SIZE="+4">The Evolution of Europe and the NATO Alliance</FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT SIZE="+3">Prime Minister of Poland Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz</FONT></CENTER>
<P>It was a great honor for me to welcome the Thirteenth NATO Workshop to
Warsaw. The fact that this event took place in the city where the Warsaw
Pact was signed in 1955 and where the dismantling of the Iron Curtain
began in 1989 is a spectacular symbol of the historic changes in Europe.
The Workshop opened in the Warsaw Royal Castle, destroyed during World War
II and raised from ruins by the common effort of all Poles. It is a place
of special emotional value to us. For centuries, amidst Poland's turbulent
history, it symbolized the sovereignty of the Polish state and our
nation's determination to maintain that sovereignty against often
overwhelming odds. It is also here that the Polish May Constitution of
1791--the second written constitution in the world, after the American
Constitution--was passed. The constitution laid the foundation for a
modern society based on the principles of freedom and equality, and we
still look to it for inspiration. The hosting of the Workshop, a
distinguished meeting of senior government, political, and military
leaders, is yet another memorable event in the castle's long history. </P>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">CHANGES IN EUROPE AND THE</FONT></B></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">ATLANTIC ALLIANCE</FONT></B></CENTER>
<P>In recent years, the nations of Europe have done a great deal to change
the face of our continent. The age of bipolarity and hostility is over.
Yesterday's enemies have become partners and friends, jointly looking for
a new security architecture that can overcome the legacy of the Cold War
and help build a true community that includes all European nations. The
evolution of the role and mission of the Atlantic Alliance embodied in the
North Atlantic Cooperation Council, the Partnership for Peace program, the
IFOR operation, and the recent decisions of the Berlin Ministerial meeting
clearly demonstrates that NATO has changed too, and has become much more
than a collective-defense organization. Today it is, to a large extent, a
guarantor of stability and an organizer of security cooperation on a
continental scale. </P>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">POLAND'S WISH TO JOIN NATO</FONT></B></CENTER>
<P>Membership in such an alliance is an honor and an obligation we wish to
share. This desire is common to all political forces Poland and enjoys the
support of an overwhelming majority of the Polish public, as does the wish
to join the integrating structure of the European Union. </P>
<P>Since 1989, every Polish government has repeatedly stated that it is
opposed to a division of Europe along either the Oder or the Bug River.
Let me reaffirm this position. While continuing our efforts to join NATO,
we do not wish to draw new dividing lines in Europe. To the contrary--we
wish to contribute to the great endeavor to unite and integrate our
continent. Poland has great interest in fully participating in the process
of bridging the historical divisions in Europe. To do so, however, Poland
must strengthen its ties with the West and its many cultural and social
achievements. </P>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">THE ROLE OF THE NATO WORKSHOP</FONT></B></CENTER>
<P>Getting together under a common European roof requires that we be open
with each other and learn about each other, eliminating old anxieties,
myths, and stereotypes. We are convinced that the Workshop forum provides
an ample opportunity to do so--to exchange opinions, knowledge, and
expertise on a broad range of problems related to European security. Such
exchanges should deepen our understanding of our continent's security
needs and help find ways to satisfy them. </P>
<P>On behalf of the Polish government, I hope that the NATO Workshop of
1996 has been a fruitful and memorable event, worthy of the historical
moment at which it took place. </P>
<P><A HREF="Cimoszewicz.htm">Go to top of page</A> <BR><A HREF="Workshop96.htm">Return to Warsaw '96</A> <BR><A HREF="../index.html">Return to Home Page</A> </P>
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