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Sejm Marshal Józef Zych paid an official visit to Finland from October 16 to 18, 1996.
During his talks with Riita Uosukainen, the speaker of Finland's Parliament, both parliamentary leaders emphasised the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation for the development of relations between the two countries. They discussed Finland's experience in adapting its laws to EU requirements. Marshal Zych received a medal of the Finnish Parliament. He visited an exhibition commemorating the five centuries of Poland's parliamentary tradition. The Marshal also held a meeting with representatives of parliamentary groups.
Zych was received by Finland's President Martii Ahtisari. He obtained the assurance that Finland supports Poland's efforts to obtain admission to the European Union. The two statesmen discussed the need to intensify cooperation in various domains.
Problems connected with the development of Polish-Finnish economic cooperation were discussed during Zych's meetings with Premier Paavo Lipponen and minister of European affairs and foreign trade Ole Norrback. Speaking about adjusting Poland's economy to EU standards, the Marshal pointed to the need of allocating appropriate funds for the restructuring of agriculture.
On the last day of the visit, the Sejm Marshal talked in Parliament to Erkki Tuomioja, chairman of the Grand Commission, and to representatives of parliamentary committees.
At the Polish Ambassador's residence, Marshal Zych met with representatives of the local Polish community.
Hans van den Broek, the visiting European Commissioner for external political relations and relations with East-Central Europe, met on October 18 with members of the Sejm's Europe Agreement and Foreign Affairs committees and the Senate Foreign Affairs and International Economic Relations Committee.
The Commissioner voiced the view that Poland could obtain full EU membership around the year 2002. He stressed that the Union's firm position on contentious issued in mutual relations was not a sign of "the EU's arrogance" but of the conviction that the more obstacles are removed now, the faster the negotiations can proceed.
Van den Broek went on to present the following scenario: the starting of negotiations on membership at the end of 1997 or beginning of 1998, two to three years needed to complete them, and a year or two during which the parliaments of the EU member countries and of Poland would ratify the accession agreement. He pointed out, however, that with regard to Poland's membership, the most important question was not "when" but "how" both sides get ready for that move.
He said that Poland had every right to conclude economic agreements with non-EU countries, e.g., in Asia, but it should make sure if the EU has this kind of agreements with those countries. "We honour the agreements signed by Poland but there is a need for a certain time framework for adjusting your relations with those countries to the patterns observed inside the Union," he said
The Commissioner voiced the hope that the EU Inter-Governmental Conference, which is supposed to reform the EU structures so that they would be ready for the admission of new members, would be concluded as planned, in the middle of 1997. The negotiations could start half a year later.
Deputy Bronisław Geremek, chairman of the Sejm Foreign Affairs Committee, voiced satisfaction with Hans van den Broek's statements. "The Commissioner said the things that are most important to us, namely that the Commission's firm attitude is a sign of the intention to admit Poland to the UN soon. "Poland must be prepared to fulfil the conditions of what is called EU community resources." He added, however, that Poland had to defend its national interests and secure a certain asymmetry, similar to that which applied to the abolition of import tariffs; "in some areas of the economy, some Polish protectionism is inevitable and the EU should be interested in it that the Poland entering the Union is not a weakened country."
On October 21, Sejm Marshal Józef Zych met with the chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia Jozef Skolc and with members of a parliamentary delegation accompanying him.
Both chairmen highly assessed the rapid development of Polish-Slovenian relations and pointed to the growing significance of inter-parliamentary cooperation, especially with regard to the promotion of European integration.
Skolc thanked Zych for supporting Slovenia's efforts to open talks concerning its participation in the work of the European Union. The two statesmen assured one another about the will to develop and diversify parliamentary contacts.
They also supported international actions that are contributing to the maintenance of peace in the Balkan region.
On October 22, the speaker of the Slovenian National Assembly was received by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski. As the president welcomed the visitor, he said he was glad that Polish-Slovenian relations were developing at a fast pace, which was confirmed by the large number of high-level visits and meetings. "Our foreign policy goals are similar," he added.
The community of political and economic goals of Poland and Slovenia was the main topic of the talks between Skolc and Vice Premier and Treasury Minister Mirosław Pietrewicz.
The Slovenian delegation also met with Deputy Jerzy Wiatr, chairman of the Polish Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and with representatives of the SLD, PSL, UW and UP caucuses. The delegation is continuing its visit to Poland.
A delegation from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament visited Poland from October 21 to 22.
On October 22, there was a press conference of Deputy Bronisław Geremek, chairman of the Sejm Foreign Affairs Committee, and Maarten van Traa, chairman of the Dutch Committee.
The Dutch deputy pointed out that a meeting of the 15 EU member states and the countries that have signed association agreements with the Union could take place even before the end of the Inter-Governmental Conference, in the first half of 1997, when Holland will be chairing the Union.
The decision to admit Poland to EU structures is a foregone conclusion, van Traa said, "although we are aware that many difficult questions will crop up in the negotiations, such as agriculture, the labour market, structural funds or the right to buy real estate>"
The subject of the delegation's talks with Polish politicians also included the enlargement of NATO. According to van Traa, a majority of Dutch MPs are in favour of the enlargement, accompanied by the development of the Alliance's relations with Russia.
"During the talks, we obtained a clear, firm and rational support for our efforts to obtain admission to the EU and NATO," Geremek emphasised.
Polish-Greek bilateral cooperation and problems related to integration with the European Union were the main topics of talks between the visiting Greek President Kostis Stefanopulos with Marshal Józef Zych, held on October 22. The President confirmed an invitation for the Marshal to visit Greece.
"The President once again unequivocally assured me of Greece's support for Poland's aspirations for EU membership," Zych said afterwards.
The President presented the Order of Honour, one of the highest Greek distinctions, to the Sejm Marshal.
Addressing the joint Sejm and Senate Foreign Affairs Committees, the President said that every country that wants to join the EU should get a chance to do so. This is a political decision that is not connected to economic benefits. He emphasised that Europe should unite in the political sense in order to be able to play an international role in the future.
Kostis Stefanopulos said that he was aware that economic unification would be more difficult. "In the present situation, economic union is unattainable."
"I acknowledge the right of every state to join NATO if that is to be part of its defence policy," he assured his audience, emphasising that the eastward enlargement of NATO "did not threaten anyone." However, before the enlargement takes place, NATO would have to conclude a special agreement with Russia because of the situation in the past and also to allay some fears of the countries wishing to join the Alliance.
On October 22, First Vice President of the World Bank, Caio Koch- Weser, met with representatives of Sejm committees. Koch-Weser is responsible for World Bank activities in Poland. The participants discussed problems related to the process of economic reforms and the current socio-political situation in Poland and its influence on Poland's accession to the European Union.