The prospects for strengthening bilateral relations, as well as European security issues, including the situation in Belarus were discussed over the phone by the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau - both the State Department and Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed on Thursday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MSZ) informed on Thursday via Twitter that the head of the office Zbigniew Rau and the United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke over the phone earlier that day.
"The main topics of discussion were the prospects for strengthening Polish-American bilateral relations, as well as European security issues, including the situation in Belarus" - the MSZ announced.
Pompeo lauds Poland
State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus informed about the talk between Rau and Pompeo on the State Department's website and on Twitter.
"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau. Secretary Pompeo congratulated Foreign Minister Rau on his recent appointment and reemphasized the importance of our strong bilateral relationship with Poland. The Secretary lauded Poland’s strong leadership role in the Three Seas Initiative and its long-term commitment to the freedom and independence of Belarus. Secretary Pompeo also thanked Foreign Minister Rau for Poland’s hosting of the third Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom or Belief, which will be held virtually November 16-17" - reads a statement on the website, a link to which Morgan Ortagus shared on Twitter.
EU sanctions
On October 2, the European Union imposed sanctions on 40 Belarusian officials, including Interior Minister Yuri Karaev and the head of the country's electoral commission but spared President Alexander Lukashenko.
In response to the sanctions, Belarus recalled its own ambassadors from Poland and Lithuania for consultations and asked the two states to scale back the number of staff at their embassies in Minsk.
Lithuania and Poland refused to comply and then recalled their ambassadors to Minsk for consultations in the hope of reducing regional tensions.
On Friday, October 9, Romania joined Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria and Slovakia and recalled its envoy from Belarus in solidarity with Poland and Lithuania.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, Reuters