The Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade, Mr. Charlie Flanagan, T.D., met this morning (Thursday) with the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Witold Waszczykowski.
The two Foreign Ministers discussed the warm bilateral relationship between Ireland and Poland, including possibilities for further cooperation. They exchanged views on the EU-UK relationship, on global issues including Syria, Russia, Ukraine and migration.
Minister Flanagan said after the meeting:
“I am particularly pleased to welcome Minister Waszczykowski this year, as 2016 marks forty years of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Cooperation and relations between us are excellent, based on our strong EU partnership, a growing economic relationship and dynamic people-to-people ties.
“These ties have grown hugely in recent years. With up to 150,000 Polish people now living in Ireland, the Polish community is an extremely valued and integral part of Irish society. More than sixty flights a week link Ireland and Poland, and bilateral trade between our two countries is steadily growing. Last year, our bilateral trade amounted to €2.9 billion.
“We spoke about current and possible future areas of cooperation.
“On EU issues, we share many of the same priorities. In particular, both countries wish to see a close and positive relationship between the EU and the UK after the UK’s departure from the Union and for the negotiation process to be orderly and constructive. This is in all of our interests, for the EU as a union, for the UK, and especially for Ireland and Poland.
“I emphasised once more to Minister Waszczykowski Ireland’s profound commitment to EU membership. I also highlighted some of our well known priorities around Northern Ireland - the peace process, the common travel area, border and citizenship issues.
“We spoke about the current relationship between the EU and Russia, and the importance of continued EU unity in our approach to Ukraine.
“I brought Minister Waszczykowski up to date on the implementation to date of Ireland’s decision to opt in to EU programmes of resettlement and relocation of migrants and refugees. We have consistently called for an approach to the migration crisis which addresses the root causes as well as the humanitarian challenges at the European level.”