Poland is for equal approach in solving visa questions for all its Western neighbors after its entering the European Union in 2004, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said. Interfax quotes him as saying that the European Union set a task to Poland to work out a concept for “the Eastern dimension of its foreign policy.” “We will stand for giving high priority to our Eastern policy,” the diplomat said. Mr. Cimoszewicz also stressed that Poland wishes to reduce the negative impact of the visa problems connected with its entering the EU on the neighboring countries and especially on Ukraine. Simultaneously he noted that the European Commission does not rule out introducing liberal visa regime for Russia’s Kaliningrad oblast, while Poland stands for equal standards in visa issues for all its Eastern partners. The Polish minister also said that the countries which would not introduce visa regime for Poland in return to its introducing visas in summer 2003 can count on 50% discount on Polish visas. Cimoszewicz also recalled that two new consulates are to be opened in Ukraine (in Odesa and Lutsk) and that Poland will make every effort to make visas for Ukrainians as cheap and easy to get as possible.
