By Heidi Trautmann
On June 16, the evening the German and Polish football
clubs met for their EM encounter in Paris, the 25th anniversary of the
German-Polish friendship treaty was also celebrated in Cyprus, at the Goethe
Institut in the buffer zone. Its director, new on the chair for three months,
Dr. Johannes Dahl, welcomed the guests in the garden of the institute, with
the German Ambassador Nicolai von Schoepf and the
Polish Ambassador Ms Barbara Tuge-Erecinska at his side who both delivered a
speech which were thought provoking though laced with some humourous remarks
which were well received by the guests; next to me was Espen Barth Eide, the UN
Secretary General’s Special Representative on Cyprus, who seemed to enjoy the
Polish Ambassador’s speech.
The guests were invited to enjoy some German and
Polish specialities...German and Polish beer, brezels, Polish sausages which
they all happily did. Ample opportunities to meet and speak to staff from other
embassies who had come for the occasion. Peter Neven, Deputy Head of Mission of
the German Embassy, and his wife Aigül,
will leave Cyprus, the time is up, and will go to New York. I wish them well,
sorry to see them leave.
I exchanged some words with our Ambassador and his
wife who both confirmed that they have come to enjoy life and hospitality in
Cyprus which makes me happy.
I want to include here the official press release by
our Federal Foreign Office regarding the anniversary:
Press release
Twenty-fifth anniversary of the German-Polish
Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness
The twenty-fifth anniversary of the signing of the “Treaty between the
Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Poland on Good-Neighbourliness,
Friendship and Cooperation” is on 17 June 2016. Foreign Minister
Steinmeier said:
Zusatzinformationen
We have devoted energy and passion to German-Polish relations in the past
25 years. The trust and friendship that have developed over this period
are something that can by no means be taken for granted.
They are a strong and precious foundation that we, on both sides, must preserve
as part of our historical responsibility. This is especially the case in light
of the pressing tasks in Europe, for which we need Poland to be on board.
German-Polish relations have developed across a very broad spectrum in the
past 25 years. Today, Germany and Poland enjoy close and friendly
relations at all levels and in all areas of society.
25th anniversary of the German-Polish Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness
© AA/MSZ
The Commissioner for Relations with EU Member States at the Federal Foreign
Office, Ambassador Joachim Bleicker, and Ambassador Cezary Król, the
commissioner responsible for the anniversary year at the Polish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, officially opened the German-Polish anniversary year 2016 at
the Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation in Warsaw on 14 January.
During the anniversary year, a wide range of political, cultural and social
events will be held to celebrate the German-Polish friendship. A logo selected
by the Federal Foreign Office and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
together with the Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation and the
German-Polish Youth Office will be displayed for all governmental and
non-governmental projects and events to mark the anniversary...