Guest blog by Robin Barnett, Ambassador to Warsaw
31 January was an important day in relations between Britain and Poland, key partners in the EU and NATO. Prime Ministers Cameron and Tusk met at RAF Brize Norton to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
My journey back from Warsaw began badly, with weather at Heathrow heavily delaying my plane. I broke my personal best for the 100-metres-dash-with-suitcase and barely caught the last possible train at Paddington station, arriving just in time for the meeting. International travel can be distinctly lacking in glamour.
Despite miserable wet weather, the two Prime Ministers met in a good atmosphere. We collaborate closely on Ukraine, Poland’s neighbour of geo-strategic import, and we greatly value Polish expertise on the matter. Both leaders were clear that the Ukrainian government must listen to and address the concerns of the Ukrainian people and that all sides must refrain from violence and avoid actions that might further inflame tension.
The UK will remain supportive of all efforts to restore stability and help build a successful future for Ukraine and its people based on justice for all and a cast iron commitment to the rule of law. The way forward must include respect for fundamental human rights and civil freedoms.
The discussion also touched on another strategic issue: energy. Britain and Poland agree that shale gas can make an important contribution to our energy mix. We have been working together on this inside the EU. A British company, Three Legs Resources, was the first to successfully flare shale gas in Poland, and UK companies have expertise to offer as exploration continues. Poland has also taken the decision to build two nuclear plants and is keenly interested in our unrivalled experience with nuclear energy.
But there is more to our relationship than politics or business. We owe a huge debt to the brave Polish aircrews that fought in the RAF during World War Two. The two Prime Ministers had tea with a surviving veteran and a serving RAF officer of Polish origin, both of whom I was also privileged to meet. Sir Hugh Dowding, the Chief of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, was clear: without the remarkable contribution of Polish squadrons like 303, that crucial battle might have been lost.
We are looking forward to helping commemorate some key historical anniversaries in Poland this year too, including the 70th anniversary of the Great Escape, which took place on what is now Polish soil, and of the heroic Warsaw Uprising. 2014 also sees the 25th anniversary of the semi-free elections in 1989, which restored Poland to its rightful place as a free and democratic country.
In recent years, a new generation of Poles has come to Britain in search of work, education, and opportunity. The increasingly organic links between our two nations and cultures can only bode well for the future of our bilateral relationship.
So it will be a busy year for our two nations, and a positive one I am sure. We will carry with our GREAT campaign to help British business to make the most of the business opportunities here in Poland. This means lots more trips ahead for me. But I’m hoping for less stressful travel experiences: one sprint in 2014 is enough!