Polish expert: Prospects for the development of Armenian-Polish relations depend not only on Warsaw, but also on Yerevan

ArmInfo. Poland has traditionally sought to maintain a balance in relations with all three countries of the South Caucasus. And we understand that today this balance has undergone minor adjustments not in favor of Armenia. 

A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by a researcher at University of Warsaw, chairman of the "Institute of Oriental Law named after Gabriel Shershenevich" Foundation  (FUNDACJA INSTYTUT PRAWA WSCHODNIEGO IM GABRIELA SZERSZENIEWICZA) Michal Patryk Sadlowski.

               To our great regret, the concept of Polish policy towards the South Caucasus has almost completely exhausted itself. And today, in my opinion, our country has a special approach, ties only with Georgia.  In general, at this stage, I would characterize the relations of Poland with the South Caucasus as the preservation of the already existing political, diplomatic, trade and economic ties. Let's hope that these relations have a prospect, a development potential, the realization of which is expected only for a favorable moment," he said.

The Polish expert explains this situation, among other things, by the long-term idleness of the "Eastern Partnership" project of the European Union initiated by Poland and Sweden. According to Sadlowski, Poland's foreign policy and diplomatic resources at this stage are focused on relations with EU and NATO partners.  Accordingly, the post-Soviet space in general and the South Caucasus in particular have now found themselves on the margins of Polish foreign policy.

According to him, relations with neighboring Belarus, Ukraine and partly with Russia are an exception for Poland. And in the absence of new ideas, concepts of regulating EU relations with the South Caucasus countries in Brussels, according to the expert's forecasts, the "Eastern Partnership" is doomed to inactivity, at best, to a very slow development. Given the lack of resources for the development of the "Eastern Partnership" in Poland itself, the lack of priority of the South Caucasus in Poland's foreign policy, today the project is in a waiting mode.

"At the same time, relations with Armenia are important for Poland, if only simply because Armenia is a Christian country. I would like to emphasize that this is very important for us. From a geopolitical point of view, Armenia is important for us due to its border with Iran. I would like to note that our very attempts to develop economic cooperation with Azerbaijan are accompanied by similar, parallel attempts in the direction of Armenia, for example, in the form of plans of the Warsaw Stock Exchange to acquire the Stock Exchange in Armenia. How all this will end is a question, including for the authorities in Yerevan. I am convinced that not only Poland, but also the entire EU is open to Armenia in this regard. Thus, the prospects for the development of the Armenian-Polish relations depend not only on Warsaw, but also on Yerevan, "Sadlowski summed up.