Post by Bonobo on Jan 19, 2022 19:32:50 GMT 1
Do you remember Zbigniew Brzeziński, dimplmat and political scientist, President Carter`s security advisor?? Mark Brzeziński is his son. He has just become an ambassador in Warsaw in times of very tense relations between US and rightist PiS governement in Poland who hates Biden administration`s liberal policies and still can`t forget their beloved President Trump.
Here is a good analysis about the new ambassador`s role and importance
www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/mark-brzezinski-nowym-ambasadorem-usa-co-to-oznacza-dla-polski/l0tw4q4,79cfc278
The new US ambassador to Poland. What does this mean for Polish-American relations? [ANALYSIS]
In talks with the government camp, Mark Brzeziński will repeatedly emphasize the importance of issues that are salt in the eye of Jarosław Kaczyński. The government can, however, gain an ally in the diplomat in at least one matter. Today, the diplomat is being sworn in as the new US ambassador to our country.
Kamil Turecki
Today, 16:43
You can read this text in 3 minutes
Mark Brzezinski, new US ambassador to Poland (photo from 2018)Mark Brzezinski, new US ambassador to Poland (photo from 2018) - Maciej Kulczyński / PAP
Brzeziński, as well as the entire American administration, out of the way with PiS for several key reasons. The differences include regarding the approach to the rule of law, media independence or human rights, including for LGBTQI + people
Moreover, the diplomat's candidacy was blocked for a long time by the Polish government camp. All this makes it difficult to expect an easy agreement with the government
However, President Joe Biden appointed Brzeziński as ambassador to Poland also due to the fact that Poland is a key country on NATO's eastern flank
Brzezinski speaks Polish. How few in the USA understand the priorities of Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, in the field of international security. This is extremely important in the face of growing tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border
The swearing-in ceremony will take place around 20.00 Polish time. US Vice President Kamala Harris will take part in it
More such stories can be found on the main page of Onet.pl
Mark Brzeziński. Rule of law, media independence and human rights
For the role of the new ambassador to Poland, Mark Brzeziński was nominated by President Joe Biden a few months ago. Before the official approval, the diplomat passed the verification process before the foreign affairs committee in the US Senate in mid-December last year.
IBRiS poll for Onet: PiS score on the psychological border. It hasn't been that bad in months
During the session of the Senate committee, Brzeziński assured that he would put pressure on the Polish government on issues of values, including in the field of media freedom. It was an unambiguous reference to the draft amendment to the law known as lex TVN, which would directly hit the company owned by the American media giant.
- In talks with the Polish government, I will emphasize in particular the importance of an impartial judiciary, independent media and respect for human rights for all, including LGBTQI + people and members of other minorities - emphasized Brzeziński, adding that he was coming as an ambassador with the message: "America is for equality ".
The reform of the judiciary is the apple of Zbigniew Ziobro's eye, but also a splinter for the European Commission, which still does not pay Poland money under the fund supporting the economies of EU countries in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. According to Brzeziński, the government in Warsaw cannot count on the reduced tariff also from the American ambassador.
Moreover, in recent years he has been observing and commenting on the situation in Poland. In the pages of, among others "International Herald Tribune", "Wall Street Journal", "Financial Times" and "The New York Times" have repeatedly explained how the Polish government violates the constitution.
A blow to the independent media , on the other hand, has the face of Marek Suski, who received the blessing of the greatest supporter of changes in the media market, i.e. Jarosław Kaczyński, who controls the power of the second row. The Americans, however, were sending clear signals: if you hit our investment, you could face severe consequences. The speech was, inter alia, on limiting contacts at the highest level and even freezing military cooperation.
The PiS camp is very reserved about Joe Biden's America, resenting both ideological issues and the inertia in counteracting the Nord Stream 2 project. While articulating the importance of independent media in the US Senate, Brzezinski left no doubt as to his support for the actions of his superiors.
Pulling the rope
Since the beginning of Biden's presidency, relations between Poland and the US have become very loose. In Washington, it was reported that President Andrzej Duda did not follow in the footsteps of other leaders and did not congratulate Biden on his victory shortly after the elections in November 2020, and did so only after voting in the Electoral College more than a month later.
Polish politicians explained then that they were waiting for the end of court cases by Donald Trump's supporters. Although this did not have dramatic consequences for bilateral relations, it seems that this fact did not really help the Polish side in establishing less formal contacts with the new administration.
The reluctance of the Polish authorities also affected Brzezinski, which meant that the American diplomatic mission in Warsaw had no ambassador for a year. Almost exactly a year ago, Georgette Mosbacher, who represented Donald Trump's team in the capital, said goodbye to her. From then on, the embassy was headed by Bix Aliu as charge d'affaires. This is a lower diplomatic rank than the ambassador.
As reported on Onet, the PiS government tried to block Brzeziński's arrival in Warsaw, demanding that he renounce Polish citizenship. The American administration perceived it as an expression of dislike of the new US president, but also of the diplomat himself.
In the end, the Polish government found a way out of the impasse regarding the new ambassador - it used the old agreement of the socialist countries from the 1960s. According to it, Mark Brzeziński is not a Pole, but ... a Czech . This legal procedure made it possible for him to come to Poland.
An expert on the East
Mark Brzeziński, who speaks Polish, in 2008 was a foreign policy advisor in Barack Obama's presidential campaign. At that time, he was already considered by Obama as an ambassador to Poland, eventually he left for Sweden.
He is the author of many publications on Poland, Russia and Central and Eastern Europe. How few in the USA understand the priorities of our region, including Poland, in the field of international security. This is extremely important in the face of growing tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
This is where PiS can gain an ally. Brzeziński may be an advocate of solutions that might not be sufficiently audible in the White House. This includes, for example, Nord Stream 2. The new German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is against using the gas pipeline to put political pressure on Russia, claiming that it is a "private economic enterprise".
The rest of the Western countries, including the United States, do not agree with this approach, which weave between the desire to improve relations with Berlin, damaged during Trump's presidency, and opposing the aggressive behavior of Russia, which, as expected, uses Nord Stream 2 to fight not only economically, but also political. The investment is one of the main bargaining cards in the talks between Washington and Moscow.
In December last year The US, through the mouth of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, presented Germany with an ultimatum: "if Russia attacks Ukraine, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will never be launched."
Brzeziński's knowledge of the specificity of Central and Eastern Europe can only help Poland to highlight the concerns of the countries in the region regarding, for example, Russia's aspirations for energy domination on the continent.
Biden chose Brzeziński to serve in Warsaw for a reason. Mark is the son of Zbigniew Brzeziński, national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter in the years 1977-1981. "Zbig" was born in Warsaw and spent the first ten years of his life in Przemyśl.
- My father did not speak fluent English until the age of 15. "Long live Poland", "Poland has not died yet", spoken in Polish, meant a lot to our family: common values and readiness to defend them - said Mark Brzeziński in the American Senate last December.
It is therefore an additional voice to Washington, which is to emphasize the consequences of indulging in Moscow, which plans to expand the range of possibilities for blackmailing Europe. Brzeziński himself assured at the end of last year about his critical attitude towards the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and activities aimed at strengthening defense relations with Poland, as well as the development of the Three Seas Initiative.
Here is a good analysis about the new ambassador`s role and importance
www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/mark-brzezinski-nowym-ambasadorem-usa-co-to-oznacza-dla-polski/l0tw4q4,79cfc278
The new US ambassador to Poland. What does this mean for Polish-American relations? [ANALYSIS]
In talks with the government camp, Mark Brzeziński will repeatedly emphasize the importance of issues that are salt in the eye of Jarosław Kaczyński. The government can, however, gain an ally in the diplomat in at least one matter. Today, the diplomat is being sworn in as the new US ambassador to our country.
Kamil Turecki
Today, 16:43
You can read this text in 3 minutes
Mark Brzezinski, new US ambassador to Poland (photo from 2018)Mark Brzezinski, new US ambassador to Poland (photo from 2018) - Maciej Kulczyński / PAP
Brzeziński, as well as the entire American administration, out of the way with PiS for several key reasons. The differences include regarding the approach to the rule of law, media independence or human rights, including for LGBTQI + people
Moreover, the diplomat's candidacy was blocked for a long time by the Polish government camp. All this makes it difficult to expect an easy agreement with the government
However, President Joe Biden appointed Brzeziński as ambassador to Poland also due to the fact that Poland is a key country on NATO's eastern flank
Brzezinski speaks Polish. How few in the USA understand the priorities of Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, in the field of international security. This is extremely important in the face of growing tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border
The swearing-in ceremony will take place around 20.00 Polish time. US Vice President Kamala Harris will take part in it
More such stories can be found on the main page of Onet.pl
Mark Brzeziński. Rule of law, media independence and human rights
For the role of the new ambassador to Poland, Mark Brzeziński was nominated by President Joe Biden a few months ago. Before the official approval, the diplomat passed the verification process before the foreign affairs committee in the US Senate in mid-December last year.
IBRiS poll for Onet: PiS score on the psychological border. It hasn't been that bad in months
During the session of the Senate committee, Brzeziński assured that he would put pressure on the Polish government on issues of values, including in the field of media freedom. It was an unambiguous reference to the draft amendment to the law known as lex TVN, which would directly hit the company owned by the American media giant.
- In talks with the Polish government, I will emphasize in particular the importance of an impartial judiciary, independent media and respect for human rights for all, including LGBTQI + people and members of other minorities - emphasized Brzeziński, adding that he was coming as an ambassador with the message: "America is for equality ".
The reform of the judiciary is the apple of Zbigniew Ziobro's eye, but also a splinter for the European Commission, which still does not pay Poland money under the fund supporting the economies of EU countries in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. According to Brzeziński, the government in Warsaw cannot count on the reduced tariff also from the American ambassador.
Moreover, in recent years he has been observing and commenting on the situation in Poland. In the pages of, among others "International Herald Tribune", "Wall Street Journal", "Financial Times" and "The New York Times" have repeatedly explained how the Polish government violates the constitution.
A blow to the independent media , on the other hand, has the face of Marek Suski, who received the blessing of the greatest supporter of changes in the media market, i.e. Jarosław Kaczyński, who controls the power of the second row. The Americans, however, were sending clear signals: if you hit our investment, you could face severe consequences. The speech was, inter alia, on limiting contacts at the highest level and even freezing military cooperation.
The PiS camp is very reserved about Joe Biden's America, resenting both ideological issues and the inertia in counteracting the Nord Stream 2 project. While articulating the importance of independent media in the US Senate, Brzezinski left no doubt as to his support for the actions of his superiors.
Pulling the rope
Since the beginning of Biden's presidency, relations between Poland and the US have become very loose. In Washington, it was reported that President Andrzej Duda did not follow in the footsteps of other leaders and did not congratulate Biden on his victory shortly after the elections in November 2020, and did so only after voting in the Electoral College more than a month later.
Polish politicians explained then that they were waiting for the end of court cases by Donald Trump's supporters. Although this did not have dramatic consequences for bilateral relations, it seems that this fact did not really help the Polish side in establishing less formal contacts with the new administration.
The reluctance of the Polish authorities also affected Brzezinski, which meant that the American diplomatic mission in Warsaw had no ambassador for a year. Almost exactly a year ago, Georgette Mosbacher, who represented Donald Trump's team in the capital, said goodbye to her. From then on, the embassy was headed by Bix Aliu as charge d'affaires. This is a lower diplomatic rank than the ambassador.
As reported on Onet, the PiS government tried to block Brzeziński's arrival in Warsaw, demanding that he renounce Polish citizenship. The American administration perceived it as an expression of dislike of the new US president, but also of the diplomat himself.
In the end, the Polish government found a way out of the impasse regarding the new ambassador - it used the old agreement of the socialist countries from the 1960s. According to it, Mark Brzeziński is not a Pole, but ... a Czech . This legal procedure made it possible for him to come to Poland.
An expert on the East
Mark Brzeziński, who speaks Polish, in 2008 was a foreign policy advisor in Barack Obama's presidential campaign. At that time, he was already considered by Obama as an ambassador to Poland, eventually he left for Sweden.
He is the author of many publications on Poland, Russia and Central and Eastern Europe. How few in the USA understand the priorities of our region, including Poland, in the field of international security. This is extremely important in the face of growing tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
This is where PiS can gain an ally. Brzeziński may be an advocate of solutions that might not be sufficiently audible in the White House. This includes, for example, Nord Stream 2. The new German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is against using the gas pipeline to put political pressure on Russia, claiming that it is a "private economic enterprise".
The rest of the Western countries, including the United States, do not agree with this approach, which weave between the desire to improve relations with Berlin, damaged during Trump's presidency, and opposing the aggressive behavior of Russia, which, as expected, uses Nord Stream 2 to fight not only economically, but also political. The investment is one of the main bargaining cards in the talks between Washington and Moscow.
In December last year The US, through the mouth of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, presented Germany with an ultimatum: "if Russia attacks Ukraine, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will never be launched."
Brzeziński's knowledge of the specificity of Central and Eastern Europe can only help Poland to highlight the concerns of the countries in the region regarding, for example, Russia's aspirations for energy domination on the continent.
Biden chose Brzeziński to serve in Warsaw for a reason. Mark is the son of Zbigniew Brzeziński, national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter in the years 1977-1981. "Zbig" was born in Warsaw and spent the first ten years of his life in Przemyśl.
- My father did not speak fluent English until the age of 15. "Long live Poland", "Poland has not died yet", spoken in Polish, meant a lot to our family: common values and readiness to defend them - said Mark Brzeziński in the American Senate last December.
It is therefore an additional voice to Washington, which is to emphasize the consequences of indulging in Moscow, which plans to expand the range of possibilities for blackmailing Europe. Brzeziński himself assured at the end of last year about his critical attitude towards the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and activities aimed at strengthening defense relations with Poland, as well as the development of the Three Seas Initiative.