'"We have zero tolerance for terrorism, including attacks on India": Polish Dy Foreign Minister
By Ayushi Agarwal, New Delhi, July 13
Reaffirming Poland's commitment to counter-terrorism, Poland's Secretary of State and Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski said Warsaw has "zero tolerance" for terrorism in all its forms, including terrorist attacks on Indian territory, while responding to India's concerns over cross-border terrorism and Poland's engagement with Pakistan.
His remarks come months after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during talks with Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in January, urged Warsaw to show "zero tolerance" towards terrorism and "not help fuel terrorist infrastructure" in India's neighbourhood.
Asked how Poland responds to India's concerns regarding Pakistan and cross-border terrorism, Bartoszewski said, "That is an old story. It happened in January, and we have zero tolerance for any form of terrorism, irrespective of where it comes from."
Drawing parallels with the security challenges facing Europe, he added that Poland was itself confronting what he described as "state terrorism" from Russia, including acts of arson, sabotage, cyberattacks and killings.
"We've got now state terrorism of Russia... and we have zero tolerance for that, and we have zero tolerance of terrorist attacks which occur on Indian territory. So that's no question," he said.
Bartoszewski said he had discussed the issue extensively with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar during his previous visit to India and believes the matter has been settled.
"I discussed these matters. I listened to Dr Jaishankar when I was here in February... I had the pleasure and honour of having dinner with Dr Jaishankar and I believe that matter is completely closed," he said.
Responding to a question on whether Poland recognises India's concerns over cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan and whether Warsaw's engagement with Islamabad would come at India's expense, the Polish minister pointed to the frequency of high-level India-Poland engagements as evidence of the importance Warsaw attaches to New Delhi.
"Given that our Prime Minister is just coming to see Prime Minister Modi as a part of a close strategic cooperation that we have, I think that's one good sign that we value high-level contacts," he said.
He noted that he visits India several times a year, while Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar remain in regular contact.
"We expect Dr Jaishankar to visit us at the beginning of October as well for a conference. We've already agreed that, of course, there will be a one-to-one meeting with Minister Sikorski as well," Bartoszewski said.
His remarks come ahead of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's scheduled visit to India this year, which is expected to focus on strengthening strategic, economic and defence cooperation between the two countries.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see Poland taking a firm stand. But let's not get carried away – actions speak louder than words. I hope they don't continue engaging with Pakistan while saying this. Our External Affairs Minister needs to ensure follow-through.
Chief, this is a diplomatic win for India. When a European power like Poland says "zero tolerance for attacks on Indian territory", it puts pressure on Pakistan internationally. Modi ji's foreign policy is delivering results. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
As someone from the West, I'm glad Poland is taking a principled stand on terrorism. But I wonder if this is just rhetoric, or will there be concrete cooperation like intelligence sharing and joint counter-terror ops with India? Let's see.
Great to see PM Tusk coming to India. But one thing bothers me – why did they need to be reminded in January? Should have been obvious from day one. Still, better late than never. Hope this translates into real economic and defence deals.
Poland's perspective is understandable given the Russian threat. But linking "state terrorism from Russia" with cross-border terrorism from Pakistan is not entirely equivalent. India needs a more nuanced approach to ensure Poland doesn't dilute its commitment.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.