October 10, 2014
PRAGUE (AP) — The foreign ministers of the Czech Republic and Poland said Friday they hope Ukraine's upcoming parliamentary election will help resolve the conflict there through diplomacy.
Lubomir Zaoralek and Poland's new foreign minister, Grzegorz Schetyna, held their first meeting and discussed policy toward Russia and Europe's climate plans. Poland supports the economic sanctions against Russia for its role in the fighting in Ukraine, but the Czech Republic — though supportive — is concerned that the sanctions stifle its trade.
Zaoralek said he hopes that the outcome of the Oct. 26 election in Ukraine will allow for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. Schetyna said he hopes the vote will help the Ukrainians decide their future and pledged Poland's continued support for Ukraine's European aspirations.
Schetyna later told The Associated Press that it depended on Russia, whether more sanctions would be needed. "If Russia escalates its policy, if it does not accept the outcome of the free elections in Ukraine, if it does not respect the cease fire, then, in a natural way, the issue (of sanctions) will return to the European, to the world agenda."
Both ministers said that Warsaw and Prague see the need to cut carbon gases to fight climate change but don't want a binding 40 percent target. The European Union member nations are expected to approve a plan that would cut greenhouse gases emissions to 40 percent below the 1990 levels, by 2030. Coal-reliant Poland would find it hard to meet that goal and seems to have found an ally in Prague in its efforts to soften the target.
Considered a moderate, Schetyna took over last month from outspoken Radek Sikorski in a government reshuffle that was prompted by then-Prime Minister Donald Tusk stepping down to take a top European Union job.
PRAGUE (AP) — The foreign ministers of the Czech Republic and Poland said Friday they hope Ukraine's upcoming parliamentary election will help resolve the conflict there through diplomacy.
Lubomir Zaoralek and Poland's new foreign minister, Grzegorz Schetyna, held their first meeting and discussed policy toward Russia and Europe's climate plans. Poland supports the economic sanctions against Russia for its role in the fighting in Ukraine, but the Czech Republic — though supportive — is concerned that the sanctions stifle its trade.
Zaoralek said he hopes that the outcome of the Oct. 26 election in Ukraine will allow for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. Schetyna said he hopes the vote will help the Ukrainians decide their future and pledged Poland's continued support for Ukraine's European aspirations.
Schetyna later told The Associated Press that it depended on Russia, whether more sanctions would be needed. "If Russia escalates its policy, if it does not accept the outcome of the free elections in Ukraine, if it does not respect the cease fire, then, in a natural way, the issue (of sanctions) will return to the European, to the world agenda."
Both ministers said that Warsaw and Prague see the need to cut carbon gases to fight climate change but don't want a binding 40 percent target. The European Union member nations are expected to approve a plan that would cut greenhouse gases emissions to 40 percent below the 1990 levels, by 2030. Coal-reliant Poland would find it hard to meet that goal and seems to have found an ally in Prague in its efforts to soften the target.
Considered a moderate, Schetyna took over last month from outspoken Radek Sikorski in a government reshuffle that was prompted by then-Prime Minister Donald Tusk stepping down to take a top European Union job.
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