On February 4, the official delegation from the Russian Duma, led by Gennady N. Seleznev, paid a visit to Sejm Marshal Jozef Zych. Seleznev and Zych talked about security problems, among other topics. The Russian visitor voiced satisfaction with the state of relations between the parliaments of Poland and Russia.
Seleznev was interested in the mode of work on Poland's new constitution and in relations between the central administration and local government. Both politicians agreed on the international importance of combating crime.
The delegation from the Duma was also received by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski. The President discussed the history of post-1989 reforms in Poland and presented Poland's foreign policy priorities, including the pursuit of NATO and EU membership.
Gennady Seleznev reiterated the Russia position on the enlargement of the Atlantic Alliance. He gave a high assessment of the talks held in Poland and voiced the conviction about the need of continued dialogue and more frequent contacts.
The Russian delegation also paid a visit to Senate's Deputy Marshal Grzegorz Kurczuk and held a meeting with Deputy Bronisław Geremek, chairman of the Sejm Foreign Affairs Committee.
Seleznev also addressed the Polish Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and held meetings with the Labour Union (UP), Freedom Union (UW), Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and Polish Peasant Party (PSL) caucuses.
On February 9, 1997, Sejm Marshal Jozef Zych began a visit to the United States. Before departure, he emphasised its great importance in view of the approaching date of starting negotiations on Poland's admission to NATO.
Zych was to present Poland's position on NATO enlargement. He will appear before the foreign affairs committees of both houses of Congress, meet with House Speaker Newt Gingrich, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and with Zbigniew Brzeziński. He is also going to meet Edward Moskal, chairman of the Polish American Congress, and other representatives of Polish ethnic organisations in the US.
On February 5, Sejm Marshal Jozef Zych received Mieczysław Biernacki, the newly appointed Polish ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica.
On February 6, the Marshal received a farewell call from French Ambassador Daniel Contenay, who has completed his tour of duty in Poland.
On the same day, Zych received, Marcin Rybicki, the new permanent Polish representative at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
On February 5, the Delegation from the Sejm and Senate to the Parliamentary Joint Committee of the Republic of Poland and the European Union held a meeting, attended by Sejm Deputy Marshal Olga Krzyżanowska, during which it elected its new chairman. This followed the resignation of Deputy Jan Borkowski (PSL) from the post in connection with his appointment to the post of undersecretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and resignation from chairmanship of the delegation.
Deputy Andrzej Grzyb was elected new chairman of the delegation.