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Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were cordially welcomed by the Sejm Speaker Józef Zych who said:
"I would like to welcome cordially Your Majesty and His Royal Highness Duke of Edinburgh at the special session of the members of the Sejm and members of the Senate of the Republic of Poland, which convened for the first time more than five hundred years ago. I would like to welcome Mr. Aleksander Kwaśniewski, president of the Republic of Poland, and Mrs. Kwaśniewski, members of the British delegation, members of the diplomatic corps, and all the other guests.
"Your Majesty's visit in the Polish parliament is a grand event bearing in mind the position of Your Majesty in the British political system, as well as the political system of the state in which a vital role is played by the Parliament. After all, Britain is considered to be the cradle of the parliamentary system. This particular position of the British Parliament was already noted in the 19th century, when it was described as 'the mother of parliaments'.
"I welcome Your Majesty as a representative of a country which Poles hold dear in their hearts. The Polish- British relations have a centuries-long tradition of friendship and sympathy. A symbol of ties between our countries may be the man who was Józef Korzeniowski for Poles, and Joseph Conrad for the British.
"Our countries were never at war with each other, and they were often allies. In the hearts of the Polish people, there is a particular place for the memories of the times of the second world war, when the Polish government found a shelter on the British land, and our two nations united in fighting against a common enemy. Our soldiers fought together in the air, on the sea, and on the ground.
"We, the Poles, remember that, because of a complicated history of our country, thousands of our compatriots found their second homeland on the British Isles. We also remember the great assistance received from Britain in the 1980s.
"In 1989, Poland made a historic turn, entering the path of reforms of its political and economic system, undertaking efforts to build democracy and an economy based on the rules of the market. Well developing economic relations between our countries play an important role here. In the newly emerged international situation, Britain plays an important role in Poland's integration with the West European structures, which is the canon of the Polish foreign policy.
"We are convinced that Your Majesty's visit will contribute to a further consolidation of the successfully developing relations between our countries.
"Fifty-five years ago, on May 3, 1941, Sir Winston Churchill said in his radio speech: 'Today, I am speaking to all the Poles all over the world. Today is the 150th anniversary of the Constitution passed by your parliament. Your are right to celebrate this day as a national holiday because, at the time when your Constitution of 1791 was drawn up, it was a model of enlightened political thought. The passing of that legal act was seen by your neighbours at that time as a dawn of a revival of the Polish state. Therefore, they hurried to partition your country in order to prevent the consolidation of the Polish nation.'
"Your Majesty, the May 3rd Constitution is still a model used in the works currently conducted in Poland on a new constitution which the National Assembly intends to pass before the end of this year. On the eve of the glorious anniversary of the passing of the May 3rd Constitution, I have the honour to invite Your Majesty to address the parliament of a sovereign and democratic Republic of Poland whose constitution is based on the rule of law."
Then, the floor was taken by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who said:
Mr President, Members of the Sejm and Members of the Senate:
I am very conscious that, in standing here, I am standing at the heart of Polish democracy. Thank you for inviting me to do so. It was an invitation I was proud to accept.
During the years of Europe's division, the idea that a British Sovereign should address a freely elected Polish Parliament would have seemed fantastic. But so much that seemed fantastic in those years has become reality.
Poland and Britain were far ahead of their time in creating free and effective Parliamentary institutions, each at either end of Europe. And both Parliaments have seen dramatic moments in the history of their nations, none more notable than the Great Sejm which created the Constitution of 1791, that model of enlightened thought.
Our dynastic, commercial and political contacts over the centuries have been rich and varied. One of my very distant forebears, King Canute, was the nephew of your King Boleslaw the Great; the most famous Pretender to the British throne, Bonnie Prince Charlie, was born of a Polish mother, the granddaughter of King Jan Sobieski. Poland's links with Scotland have always been especially strong.
More recently, General Sikorski, the leader of your Government in exile during the last war was a friend of my father. In 1940, my father sent a message to your President. In it, he said:"We are proud to have at our side the heroic Polish Army, Air Force and Navy, which have covered themselves with glory during the last twelve months". As our two countries fought together against tyranny, I remember the Polish National Anthem being played each week on the BBC along with those of our other gallant allies. And we will never forget, in my country, the courage of the Polish pilots, part of the "few", to whom Churchil rightly said so much was owed. If Poland had not stood with us in those days, who knows - the candle of freedom might have been snuffed out?
The War joined us, but later divided us, for 1945 did not bring liberty to all.The Poles who stayed in Britain founded a community which has given much to our national life. But their freedom was not reflected in their own country. The scars and divisions which were left by war caused injustice and bitterness - some of it directed at friends and erstwhile allies. Last year, as we celbrated the anniversary of the allied victory in Europe, we knew only too well that, for Poland, the fruits of victory were postponed.
So we rejoiced all the more so at Poland's recovery of full severeignty and at your decision to seek membership of European andWestern institutions. We strongly support the enlargement of European Union and NATO, we are in sympathy with your aim to join these bodies, and we are determined that that aim cannot be subject to a veto by any other country.
Poland needs Europe. But Europe also needs Poland.
Meanwhile, the last six years have seen a remarkably rapid growth in the contacts between our two countries - trade, travel, culture and defence. In Bosna, for instance, our soldiers are together trying to preserve the peace. Both countries are prepared to shoulder their responsibility for leaving a safer and happier world for the next generation. I am, in particular, grateful for the welcome given in Poland to initiatives from the Konw How Found, the British Council and The Prince of Wales's Business Leaders Forum, which builts on the goodwill between the business community and voluntary organisations in our two countries.
As two countries with vital national cultures and traditions, we must catch the tide of change which is sweeping through our continent. But we must preserve what is good and worthwile in those national traditions as we manage the change.
Żeby Polska była Polską.
Mr President, Marshals, Members of the Sejm and Senate,
Prince Philip and I thank you for your hospitality and wish you well. Your task is truly historic, because you are continuing what your predecessors of many years ago started but were prevented by outside powers from completing.
May I quote to you from your 1791 Constitution? It refers toPoles "willing to profit by the present circumstances of Europe, and by the favourable moment which has restored us to ourselves prizing more than life, and every personal consideration, the political existence, external independence, and internal liberty of the nation".
Those words could describe the situation of Poland today. You have challenges aplenty, but you have the faith and the hope to meet them. We in Britain will be with you all the way.
The Senate Speaker Adam Struzik thanked the Queen for addressing the members of the Sejm and the members of the Senate.
The joint meeting of the members of the Sejm and the members of the Senate was attended by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski. Other members of the meeting included: Andrzej Zoll, chairman of the Constitutional Tribunal; Adam Struzik, the Supreme Court president; Tadeusz Zieliński, the ombudsman; Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek, secretary general of the Polish Episcopal Conference; and members of the diplomatic corps.
In the Sejm, Queen Elizabeth II met with the Sejm Speaker Józef Zych, the Senate Speaker Adam Struzik, and the Prime Minister Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz.
During the meeting with Józef Zych, the Queen was interested in the progress of work on the draft of the new constitution. The topic of inter-parliamentary cooperation was also discussed. In the opinion of the Sejm speaker, the Queen's sympathy and respect for the reforms taking place in Poland is vital because Britain's vote will be very important in the context of Poland's efforts to join European structures.
Adam Struzik acquainted the Queen with the role of the Senate in the legislative process. He said that members of the Polish parliament were interested in cooperation with the House of Lords. Issues concerning the Polish expatriate community in Britain were also discussed.
Prince Philip met in the Sejm with the Polish-British Parliamentary Group comprising fifty-five members of the Sejm and members of the Senate. The topics discussed during the meeting included Polish-British cooperation in the areas such as: economy, culture and science, charity, and sports.