Poland, UK hail strategic ties after annual talks
PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki
22.06.2018 15:10
Poland and Britain have discussed ways of enhancing their “strategic foreign, defence and security partnership” during annual talks between senior government officials.
Poland's Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak (right) and Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz (2nd from right), and Britain's Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson (left) and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (2nd from left) give a joint press conference after talks near Warsaw on Thursday. Photo: PAP/Jacek Turczyk
The Polish and British foreign and defence ministers met near Warsaw on Thursday to debate security, bilateral relations and the UK's post-Brexit ties with the European Union, according to the Polish foreign ministry.
“Today’s annual meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers demonstrates that the UK and Poland are delivering on their commitment to develop our partnership to be even stronger and even more strategic,” the two countries said in a joint statement issued after Thursday’s talks, which were held at a mansion in Helenów not far from the Polish capital.
“Our countries have a strong trading relationship and deep cultural links through the thriving Polish community in the UK,” Poland and Britain said in the statement, which the Polish foreign ministry posted on its website.
The statement said that Poland and Britain were active partners in international organisations including the United Nations and NATO and that their foreign and defence ministers on Thursday “discussed concrete ideas for how we can further enhance our strategic foreign, defence and security partnership.”
Poland’s Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz conferred with his British counterpart Boris Johnson and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak exchanged views with UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson during the annual talks, which were held for the sixth time.
The annual meetings of the four ministers, known as the Quadriga, aim to consolidate strategic relations between Poland and Britain, according to officials.
Poland's Czaputowicz was quoted as saying during the UK ministers' visit that the two countries “share similar views on many international issues, especially in relation to security,” and that they “share the task of strengthening transatlantic links, which are key for the stability of the whole Western world.”
The four ministers also talked about working more closely to fight Russian disinformation in Eastern Partnership countries, the Polish foreign ministry said on its website.
The previous round of Quadriga talks was held in London in October last year.
(gs/pk)
Source: msz.gov.pl, PAP