Security issues related to the policies of Russia and China were among the topics discussed by Andrzej Duda and PM Yoshihide Suga on Saturday in Tokyo, as part of a series of the latter’s meetings with foreign dignitaries, the Polish PAP News Agency has reported.
Duda was especially seeking Japan’s support for the regional Three Seas Initiative to help drum up business with the country’s giants.
Poland is particularly interested in a business partnership to support its energy transition and encourage Japanese companies to invest, mainly in cyberspace, infrastructure and energy.
The Three Seas initiative is a joint project of the Polish and Croatian presidents that brings together twelve countries situated between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas. It is focused on transport, digital services and energy production. It involves such activities as building roads, railways, pipelines and power grid links.
The Japanese PM declared that his country was mulling joining the project alongside the United States and Germany. He also asked Duda to help lift restrictions on Japanese food imports Poland still has in place in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
Following his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier on Saturday, Duda told public broadcaster Polish Radio that their talks had been centered around the issue of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
"The positions of Poland and France on Nord Stream 2 are similar," Duda said.
Referring to the recent Washington-Berlin deal on the project, Duda noted that "the completion of the pipeline will deteriorate European Union’s security."
The deal announced by the United States and Germany on Wednesday allows the completion of the disputed pipeline vehemently opposed by Poland and Ukraine without either Germany or Russia facing new US sanctions.
"We all realise that we must somehow neutralise the negative effects of this unfortunate agreement… which will probably lead to the completion of Nord Stream 2," Duda said. He expressed his hope that Poland and France would work together in this matter.
The presidents also discussed options of military and energy cooperation.
Andrzej Duda, Emmanuel Macron, and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg were the only EU heads of state or government present at the Olympics opening ceremony in Tokyo on Friday.
Earlier that day, Duda was received in an audience by the Japanese Emperor Naruhito.
(mo)
Source: PAP, IAR