Polish Foreign Policy towards Small East-Central European Countries (1989–2009)

Abstract

The present article is a thorough politological analysis of the contemporary
international relations. It is aimed at presenting and attempting to assess
Polish foreign policy in the years 1989 – 2009, giving special consideration
to the policy towards small East-Central European countries, i.e. closer and
further neighbors of Poland. Showing successes and failures of Polish foreign
policy in the years 1989 – 2009, the author tries to answer the question about
the new Polish foreign policy strategy after 2004, i.e. after its accession to
the European Union. He proposes many interesting theses, including one
that Poland, as a medium size country with its demographic, economic and
military potential, could successfully play a role of a leader in East-Central
Europe, or even function as a regional superpower gathering around it such
countries as Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and
even Hungary, Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria, as well as Scandinavian countries.
Taking into account the changing power order at the international
arena at the beginning of the 21st century and the development of a new,
multi-polarized international order, the author suggests that apart from the
co-operation with the small countries of the region, Polish foreign policy
should be based on the following assumptions: firstly, the European Union
must be a foundation stone of Polish foreign policy; secondly, NATO must
be the foundation for Polish security policy; thirdly, Poland should develop
co-operation and versatile relations with the United States but it should not
support those aspects of American foreign and security policy which do not
serve the interests of the West, nor international stability, and question UN’s
credibility and are aimed at creating divisions in Europe and the world.
The author used such research methods as an analysis of documents and
international processes and a diagnostic comparative method.