Jerzy Nowak
President of Polish Euro-Atlantic Association
Former Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to NATO
Ambassador Nowak thinks it could be diificult to resolve conflict issues with Russia, especially when they are some politicians who are well known as supporters of the 'neo-imperial' thinking, but as we have common interests and common problems, Russian diplomacy is highly qualified and it is a serious partner for discussion.
Mr. Ambassador, as a former Polish Ambassador to NATO you had many opportunities to meet and speak with Russian leaders and decision makers. How do you perceive them?
Personally I have very high evaluation of the Russian diplomacy from professional point of view. Of course you may have sometimes politicians who entered the diplomacy and then the situation is slightly changing, like our meeting recently with the Russian representative to NATO Ambassador Rogozin who is well known as a political activist and who is not only supporter of the ‘neo-imperial’ thinking in Russia but is even going more to the extreme forms. Then it is little bit difficult but if you have common interests and if you have common problems, Russian diplomacy is highly qualified and is a serious partner to discuss and to reach conclusions.
In the opinion of Ambassador Nowak, Russia is using many instruments including energy question to restore its superpower status, what is unacceptable and therefore we have to show the red lines and to cooperate with Russia on the basis of the adopted documents.
How do you think we can change status quo when Russia is using its energy resources, its energy richness for political purposes?
Question of energy is part of larger Russian offensive to restore great power status or even superpower status on the basis of demands to have de facto sphere of interests of Russia (although they are using the term ‘privileged Russian interests’) especially in its neighborhood and Russia is using a number of instruments including the energy question. This is something which worries the others because Russia intends to achieve not only the power status which nobody would deny to Russia but the problem is that Russia cannot get a specific status outside of our common values and principles. Russia cannot enforce any idea of a sphere of an influence which was a dangerous element leading to war in 1930’s and therefore we cannot allow a repetition of that.
Russia also cannot obtain the idea of a concert of big powers in Europe which are they increasingly enforcing. This is 19th century idea focused on to put aside middle-size and smaller countries and only to have the decision making body out of the few big powers and that is not acceptable, especially for central and eastern Europe. Therefore the only response to Russia in this question should be to show the red lines, we cannot accept a privileged status and a spheres of influence or inequality of states in the concept of big powers. We should cooperate with Russia and engage Russia in the stabilization of Europe but on the common basis including Helsinki Final Act, the NATO-Russia documents and other documents which we have concluded with Russia together.
Transcript by Juraj Cintula (Slovak Atlantic Commission)
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