Former Ambassador of Poland to Armenia believes that in this situation it was not possible to do more in bipartite and EU relations
On December 1, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Poland to Armenia Zdzisław Raczyński completed his diplomatic mission in the Republic of Armenia. Almost over the five-year activities, the Ambassador managed to be singled out by his bold and sincere estimates and set up a tradition of a free and unrestrained contact with the media.
Before leaving Armenia, kindly accepting the offer of “Aravot” to give an interview, Raczyński as a former journalist, friendly recommended the Armenian mass media to abandon the style of delivering traditional materials, either an interview, or an article of someone’s opinion, then someone else’s reverse, rather than when preparing the material, try to analyze the views expressed in the interview in contrast and criticism to him as an author of the material. He mentioned that if the Western media journalists are preparing materials just like that and he likes them, the traditional Q&A with someone becomes a free conversation and is delivered as an analytical material, in the context of the assessment of the position by the interviewee. We took already the former ambassador’s advice.
What were the impressions of the Ambassador leaving Armenia?
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In 2010, March 3, when Raczyński handed his accreditations to Serzh Sargsyan, the official release of this very day stated that that Poland is one of the driving forces, the initiators of the EU “Eastern Partnership” project, which is a good basis for development of new quality relations with Poland and the EU.
The Ambassador emphasizes the importance of the layer existing in Armenia, with which he was in daily contact in Armenia, he views everyone has a personality, taken separately not as politicians or officials, rather than how interesting they are as interlocutors. Raczyński confesses that he leaves our country with good and positive impressions. “The younger generation of Armenia was not a surprise but a revelation for me. I call them children of independence. Maybe my understanding is not deep, but in my opinion they think differently than those who are born and spend their childhood and youth in another country. The elderlies were visualizing the country as a marz, a province of a powerful state, while the youth consider themselves as owners of this land. Secondly, the landscape, I do not mean just the mountains and the churches, but everything that is Armenia, Yerevan, which is quite a change since the times when I remembered earlier, in 1980-90’s. Yerevan undoubtedly has been changed to positive direction. Marzes have also been changed a lot, but not to a positive direction.”
The Ambassador appreciates the processes in the Armenian reality, which he had witnessed. “Here, there are no black and white images, here, the colors are varied. I perhaps was here during the light, but at the same time not so easy period. I came to a country, which I knew, I knew people, and therefore, there were not so great surprises for me, which I should have revealed, deeply understanding of people’s mindset. But, on the other hand, it was complicating, because knowing the history and the present of Armenia, now, it seems to me that my expectations were greater than the real possibilities. The third layer is Armenian reality politically is related to Armenia and Poland, Armenia and EU relations. Although, I am not so happy with the outcome, however, I am satisfied and sure that it was not possible to do more in this situation, in terms of both bipartite, EU relations and the embassy actions. Hence, I am leaving with a slightly heavy heart. Five years is not a short term, even the marriages barely endure so long…” said the Ambassador jokingly.
Armenia and Poland knew each other better
Estimating the Armenian-Polish relations, Z. Raczyński points out an advantage the fact that his country’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski was a strong personality, who had granted the Ambassador to Armenia a complete freedom to act. “Everything that concerns the bipartite relations was elaborated here, in Hanrapetutyan 44a street, even the President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Poland was organized here. Our recommendations were accepted in Warsaw. A stable political dialogue was confirmed, including at the highest level. During these years, there were exchange of visits of the Presidents. Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited Yerevan and assumed the position of President of the European Council since December 1, numerous visits by defense ministers and foreign ministers, permanent dialogues at the Deputy Foreign Ministers’ level, contacts between the National Security Council and National Security Bureau of Poland.
Relations were established between Armenian and Polish regional cities, such as between Gyumri and Białystok, and this is just the beginning, yet they are friendly contacts, but the partnership will deepen. Now, we are working on modernization program of the hospital in Gyumri, which will be implemented by the city of Białystok,” tells the ambassador. In the past, the Armenian-Polish cultural contacts were organized by the embassy, but now they are already carried out by separate entities, automatically. The volume of trade-economic turnover between Armenia and Poland is doubled, this is not a big number now, about 50 million euros per year. Two large Polish companies are in Armenia: PWPW (Polish Security Printing Works), which prepares biometric passports in Armenia, and Armenian-Polish first joint military-industrial enterprise, “Lubava Armenia”, which was launched in Charentsavan. It is a military orders-performing enterprise, which manufactures bulletproof vests, helmets and tents.
The Ambassador thinks that the Polish companies and the business would still enter the Armenian industry, it requires time to study the business interests, given the geographical distance between Armenia and Poland. The Ambassador considers a great achievement that the two countries knew each other better, in the elite. “Sometimes, I use this formulation, a mature partnership, when the countries realize what to expect from one another.”
As to what he failed to do during his years of tenure, the ambassador points to the fact that the real ratio of forces was not perceived in Europe and his country’s potentials. “A year ago, of course, not officially, I informed my Armenian colleagues, the Foreign Ministry, that next year, the Prime Minister of Poland will assume the position of the President of the European Council, or, if the socialists win, Foreign Minister Sikorski will be the head of the Europe. Conclusions should be driven from it and some steps be done, I think there was more than enough time, it was necessary to have the vision and the dynamics.” According to the ambassador, they were not successful in attracting the attention of the Polish companies that were interested in the whole region, not only Armenia.
Armenia’s maneuvering field has been tragically narrowed
Still until September 3, last year, when there was still no decision that Armenia should join the Eurasian Union and put aside the talks of nearly four years on the EU Association Agreement, the issue of “and-and” or “either-or” policy was the most discussed topic by Armenia. Western countries’ ambassadors repeatedly referred to this subject, explaining that “and-and” in two different trade zones is simply impossible.
Today, both Armenian and European officials assure that the relationship between Armenia and the EU should be continued, and now mostly there is one issue on the agenda: to what extent Armenia is ready to deepen the relations with the EU. Can Armenia-EU relations be effective under our country’s accession to the EaEU? Z. Raczyński’s assessment is definite: Armenia was and is EU’s neighbor through the Black Sea. Armenia is and he hopes will be a part of the Eastern Partnership. “Will the cooperation settings with the EU be changed? Yes, but not because something bad had happened, but because the circumstances have been changed. First, the three Eastern Partnership countries: Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, made a decision on the EU Association. Now, all countries have the visa facilitated regime, but Moldova has already shifted into a no-visa regime. Soon, the same will be in Ukraine, and later in Georgia. Of course, we would like to have it in Armenia, too. But, I am sorry, Armenia lacked behind on this matter, and we still seek to avoid it so that Georgia would not have to introduce a visa regime for Armenia, because you’re in a different visa area; a free-visa regime with a country, which is not in a family with other countries of no-visa regime. A large part of economic cooperation has disappeared in bipartite relations between Armenia and the EU. “And-and” could have worked, if it were only about politics, but here, it refers to specific economic matters, they were technical issues – European standards of goods, compliance to norms. If a common European Economic Area were established, it was at least possible to envision it. But we need to be realistic, annexation of Crimea by Russia, Russia’s aggression in the east of Ukraine has created a situation, which we could not even imagine in the terrible dream – confrontation between the West and Russia.
Once, Armenia’s foreign policy was based on a multi-vector course, now, Armenia’s filed has been tragically narrowed. In reality, Armenia conducted talks with EU on EU Association until Russia did not say, enough. Now, Armenia’s maneuvering field has been strongly narrowed. It is very difficult for Armenia to maintain a balance, which is quite understandable situation for us, and we do not require special explanations. Armenia is in the CSTO security system, Russia is Armenia’s strategic ally, but we constantly say that it is important to know what direction Armenia will be headed to inside the country, rather than the geopolitical games; what norms and standards Armenia will set up inside the country, not only economic, but also in other areas, generally, in the public life. I would like, but it is too complicated, I cannot imagine that being a part of the EaEU, Armenia simultaneously can be a part to the European cultural and democratic space, I would very much like to, but…”.
But, the decision on Armenia’s accession to the EaEU was made by the government authorities rather than by the society and the youth, with which the former ambassador to Armenia was fascinated, wasn’t it? Here, Raczyński supports Serzh Sargsyan’s decision. “Actually, there was no other option. It was the result of Armenia’s development in recent years. On this matter, I support Serzh Sargsyan, I’m not his lawyer, but he is a rational politician, he is responsible for his country. Now, we are talking about political partnership with the EU, but this partnership implies common values system and common vision, in other words, a common field, on which it is possible to conduct activities.”
To be continued
Emma GABRIELYAN
