Aileen Earnest Quotes

We are a strong democratic country.

Following the Second World War, we are a country of one ethnicity. After the moving of the borders, after the tragedy of the Holocaust and the murder of Polish Jews, we don`t have large minority groups.

Then, what I mentioned, this security system in the region, more countries in NATO means more zone, bigger zone, wider zone of security and stability.

My message to the Americans, to the American President, is that I am coming from Poland, which is in good shape; it is much different than ten years ago when last state visit from Poland was here in the United States.

And we want to develop our strategy to partnership and friendship with the United States, which is connected with a very rich history but what is very important for our future.

Well, we are very glad that Russia is so close with NATO.

We all live in a free Poland, and there would be no free Poland without you, Twenty-five years ago, I did not stand on the same side together with you, but today I have no doubts that it was your vision of Poland which led us in the right direction.

In my opinion, terrorism is a question which is not a short- term problem for all of us. It is a long-term fight. And NATO can play, and will play, a very crucial role in this struggle.

To be in the EU, it means to have same rules of... for economy, for social life, to be together in the majority of European countries.

And I think to be in NATO for the countries of our region, it means more guarantees for us, it means more responsibility for our common security, but it means fulfillment of all standards of civilized world, like protection of human rights and democratic mechanisms.

However, I don`t doubt that a wave of immigration will come to Poland.

There is simply no room for anti-Semitism in a democratic and law-abiding state.

But why EU is so interested to have Poland and some new countries inside, because it`s a huge mark. There`s almost 100 million people.

So I think that is one of the reasons we can face some regional problems, which are very difficult, very dramatic and is necessary to have instruments to solve these problems. NATO is such instrument.

And what is politically extremely important, Europe can be united, the first time in the history, after a thousand... more than a thousand years.

So I think that is from the European perspective, for the European future, this engagement can be one of the most important and effective decisions in the last 50 years maybe.

We welcome, we welcome this good cooperation between Russia and NATO.

So I think that I can say, as the President of Poland, we`re proud that I am coming from Poland, which is different and what`s more important, much better than before.

We are an American ally in NATO and in anti-terrorist coalition. And we want to be in the European Union very soon, beginning of 2004.

And still the time, especially in the economy, is very tough, very difficult. It`s necessary to be active still, to work, to fight, to make our economy more competitive.