The ministers discussed bilateral relations. “Economic cooperation, and trade in particular, is a solid basis of our relations. Our trade volume reached EUR 10 billion annually,” said Minister Czaputowicz. He also welcomed dynamic cooperation between local governments. Polish and Slovak regions have so far signed nine partnership agreements, and just under 300 polish cities and communes cooperate with 200 Slovak local governments.

The two officials talked about Polish-Slovak collaboration in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which Slovakia chairs this year. In this context, Minister Czaputowicz mentioned the security situation in the OSCE area. He said that the fundamental principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act, specifically territorial integrity and sovereignty, refraining from the threat or use of force or peaceful settlement of disputes, are being challenged. The minister reiterated Poland’s full support for the actions and mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Minister Jacek Czaputowicz: “We believe that the human dimension is the OSCE’s major focus. We are against any attempts to weaken its importance.”   

On the agenda was also Eastern policy, specifically the situation in Ukraine. Minister Lajčák presented the actions that Slovakia has carried out so far and plans to implement during its OSCE chairmanship to solve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Earlier on, the foreign ministers of Poland and Slovakia attended the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting. This is Europe’s largest conference dedicated to human rights and democratization, which is held every year in Warsaw.

 

MFA Press Office

Photo: Tymon Markowski/ MFA