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Poland looks for savings in diplomacy amid financial crisis
Jul 30, 2009, 14:17 GMT
Warsaw - Poland talked of cutting costs by sharing diplomats and working alongside the Czech Republic in issuing visas after foreign ministers from the two countries met in Warsaw on Thursday.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout met with Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski on ways the two nations could save by sharing diplomatic representation and working together at consulates in issuing visas in the developing world.
'This is a requirement caused not only by the crisis,' Sikorski said, 'but also with a care for the most effective service for citizens of Schengen group nations and citizens of the third world who are trying for visas.
'Poland can't afford to maintain consulates in certain exotic places, in which our (Czech) partners are present.'
Also on the agenda was the Lisbon Treaty and the proposed American anti-missile shield to be located in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Presidents in both Poland and the Czech Republic have yet to sign the Lisbon Treaty. Poland's president has promised to sign it if the reform bill gets a yes vote in a second Irish referendum.
Poland inked the deal to host a missile shield with the Bush administration in exchange for US military aid.
But US President Barack Obama has been seen as more lukewarm towards the project, and has said the system must first be proven to work.
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