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Poland, US mark centennial of diplomatic ties

PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki 31.01.2019 12:30
Top state officials, diplomats and entrepreneurs have praised long-standing Polish-US ties as the two countries mark the centennial of diplomatic relations this month.
From left: Senior Polish presidential aide Krzysztof Szczerski, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, US Ambassador Georgette Mosbacher, and Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz during the anniversary event in Warsaw on Wednesday. Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka  From left: Senior Polish presidential aide Krzysztof Szczerski, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, US Ambassador Georgette Mosbacher, and Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz during the anniversary event in Warsaw on Wednesday. Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

At a high-profile event in Warsaw on Wednesday, US Ambassador Georgette Mosbacher said that Poland and America shared a bond "far greater than any bilateral agreements, a bond that is far greater than our mutual interests in NATO."

Meanwhile, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that his government would do everything to "strengthen and cement Polish-American friendship."

Morawiecki added that the Polish-US alliance was a partnership “for a free world, for peace, for prosperity.”

Some of the historical figures who played a key role in the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, including Polish Prime Minister Ignacy Jan Paderewski and US President Woodrow Wilson, were remembered during the event, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

It noted that the gathering was held at Warsaw’s historic Bristol Hotel, where a newly formed Polish government was initially based after the country recovered its sovereignty more than 100 years ago.

Poland regained independence on November 11, 1918, the day World War I ended, after 123 years of partition by Russia, Austria and Prussia. The country established diplomatic relations with the United States in 1919.

The American embassy in Warsaw has noted in a statement that Poland and the United States established diplomatic relations in January 1919 and that the first US envoy to Poland, Hugh Gibson, presented his credentials to the newly installed Polish chief of state, Józef Piłsudski, four months later on May 2, 1919.

The first Polish ambassador to the United States, Prince Kazimierz Lubomirski, presented his credentials to US President Woodrow Wilson on May 15, 1920, the embassy noted in its statement.

“Those relationships and the bonds forged between the United States and Poland during the years following Poland’s rebirth still serve as an inspiration to us all,” Ambassador Mosbacher was quoted as saying in the statement.

“As we now mark our 100 years of diplomatic relations this year, we are confident that our friendship and shared democratic values will endure for another century and beyond,” Mosbacher added.

The US embassy in December 2017 launched long-running celebrations of the centennials of Poland regaining independence and the establishment of US-Polish diplomatic relations.

The American embassy said at the time that the two anniversaries provided "opportunities for both countries to celebrate these momentous events together and to renew and strengthen people-to-people ties by highlighting our shared histories, shared values, and cooperation.”

(gs/pk)

Source: IAR, TVN 24, pl.usembassy.gov

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