2018-11-13 20:41 update: 2018-11-16, 17:28
Photo PAP/Radek Pietruszka
Asia and the Pacific is a region of new opportunities but also challenges for Polish diplomacy, Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said on Tuesday, stressing that it is important for Poland to strengthen ties with Asia in order to increase the country's security.
The Polish foreign minister was taking part in the third Asia and Pacific Days event in the Sejm (lower house) on Tuesday, the subject of which was the challenges for security and international order in the region. "Asia and the Pacific is a region of new opportunities but also challenges for Polish diplomacy," the minister stated.
One of those challenges - according to Czaputowicz - is intensification of Polish participation in the process of Asia's emergence as the new centre of the world, as well as bringing added value to the political processes of strengthening the region's stability.
He also stressed that Poland's policy towards the region and its steadily growing presence there should serve the implementation of one of the aims of Poland's strategic foreign policy, which is - in his view - economic development of the state through gaining new sales and markets and investment.
"The situation in the security field is also not without significance," Czaputowicz commented. In the foreign minister's opinion, it is becoming important for Poland to tighten ties with Asia with a view to increasing Poland's security, especially economic security.
"We want to work on three planes: firstly through strategic partnerships and political dialogue with important countries of Asia, secondly through active participation in multilateral formats, including co-initiating the European Union's Asian policy, (and) thirdly through developing multilateral economic cooperation including in the fields of energy and technology," he explained.
Jacek Czaputowicz noted at the same time that in the political realm there exist many problems in Asia which he believes have the potential to foment conflict. "Undoubtedly, one of the main sources of threats to security and stability in East Asia, has for years been the situation on the Korean Peninsula," the minister observed. "We are glad to see the changes that have occurred in this region of the world since early 2018 and contributed to a significant de-escalation of tensions in the region."
"Asia is also torn by other disputes, the scope of which maybe breaches the regional scale, hence it is important to consider their possible implications for Europe, including for Poland," Czaputowicz pointed out. The head of Polish diplomacy went on to highlight the dynamic development of the strategic partnership joining Poland and China.
Czaputowicz also listed Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand as key Polish partners in the Asia and Pacific region.
Later in November, Minister Czaputowicz will visit Indonesia to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation within the framework of the UN Security Council, while next year a visit is planned by President Andrzej Duda to Singapore. (PAP)
ej/
