Cablegate: Deputy Pm Stresses Law, Visas in Meeting With

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS WARSAW 003914

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM CVIS PL
SUBJECT: DEPUTY PM STRESSES LAW, VISAS IN MEETING WITH
AMBASSADOR

1. (U) SUMMARY: In Ambassador Ashe's November 23 introductory
call on Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Ludwik
Dorn, discussion focused on law and order issues but also
included visas as well as next-generation national
leadership. The Ambassador underscored his desire to host a
luncheon for Dorn and new provincial governors sometime in
Spring 2006. END SUMMARY.

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Enthusiasm About Law Enforcement Cooperation
--------------------------------------------

2. (U) Ambassador Ashe was one of the first to meet with Dorn
in his official capacity. (Dorn was named Interior Minister
October 31 and Deputy PM November 21.) After an exchange of
pleasantries, Dorn immediately underscored Poland's desire to
"assess and intensify" Poland's already close law enforcement
cooperation with the US. Noting that the bilateral
relationship had been particularly fruitful on Internal
Affairs/Homeland Security, Dorn provided Ambassador with a
list of possible US training and cooperative programs for
Polish law enforcement officials. Ambassador recalled his
success as Mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee, in lowering the
crime rate without busting the budget by redeploying existing
police from desks to patrol cars. Dorn replied that he hoped
to increase the number of cops on the beat in Poland by 50%
with a similar approach. He also foreshadowed a plan to
replace the Deputy Chief of Police for logistics with a
civilian expert, in an effort to increase agency transparency
and efficiency. Dorn also asked for US help in selecting an
integrated nationwide communications system for law
enforcement and emergency response services, "either the
Tetra system or something else." (n.b. Under the Lockheed
Martin F-16 offset program, U.S. firm Motorola and Polish
partners have been seeking a no-bid tender for the Polish
Tetra system. Embassy has been providing commercial advocacy
in this case.)

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Concern over Visas
------------------

3. (U) Ambassador thanked Dorn for Polish cooperation in the
bilateral "Visa Roadmap" process, an effort to address Polish
concerns over US non-immigrant visa policies, and asked
Dorn's help in insuring that a DHS team coming to review the
Immigration Advisory Program (IAP) at Warsaw Airport meet
with the appropriate GOP officials. Dorn concurred and noted
a desire to "accelerate" the Visa Roadmap. The Ambassador
sympathized with Dorn's concerns and promised to keep the
dialogue open with appropriate US authorities. Dorn
concluded, "I do not want to burden you, but this is a
problem."

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The Next Generation of National Leadership
------------------------------------------

4. (U) The Ambassador noted that it was more common for city
mayors to rise to national leadership in Europe than in the
US. Dorn cited Adenaeur, Chirac and Kaczynski as famous
examples of European mayors elevated to national leadership.
The two recalled that Poland's President-elect, Lech
Kaczynski had mentioned that being Mayor of Warsaw was his
toughest job. The Ambassador said he hoped to invite Dorn
and new wojewodas (provincial governors) to lunch sometime
next Spring. (n.b. The 16 wojewodas are political appointees
of the government in power, under the supervision of the
Minister of Interior. Dorn is expected to nominate the new
wojewodas within the next two weeks.)
ASHE

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