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Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
»
Author : O. Gorelov
Political scientist
WHY DO RUSSIA AND POLAND remain in an an-
tagonistic embrace for far too long, and in defiance of
common sense? Why are the past mistakes still alive?
What is behind this and who is the gainer? This is not
idle curiosity: the questions should be answered. Indeed,
Russia's relations with Poland's EU and NATO neigh-
bors are good or even model, to borrow an expression
from our recent past.
It is for publicists, politicians and other experts to un-
dertake a comprehensive analysis of the Russian-Polish relations at their present stage. As a stu-
dent of Poland who sympathizes with the country and is tied to it by blood kinship I deem it
necessary to offer an objective picture of facts and events and my personal comments and opin-
ions about it.
The two Slavic states cannot agree on their common and highly contradictory history. It seems
that there are no other large nations in Europe to be divided by the cardinally different assess-
ments of their past relationships and their highly biased approaches to them.
Today, the facts (facts are stubborn things) testify that under left or right government Poland re-
mains unfriendly toward Russia.
During the last two decades the majority of the Polish media has been flooding the country with
disinformation and lies about Russia. Day after day politicians, historians and journalists are rub-
ber-stamping anti-Russian clichés, the most successful of them soaring high to the summits of
mythology and Russophobia.
A great interest in the Russian language in Poland against the background of anti-Russian hysteria
raging in the country cannot but amaze. This is best explained by the globalization-induced prag-
matism of the Poles: business in Russia and with Russians is profitable; the Russian language
opens doors to Russia, the CIS countries and even helps move further on, to China and Japan.
Cultural interpenetration is going ahead despite the reefs created by the common dramatic past
and certain political forces of our day.
In recent years our relations have been improving albeit slowly and painfully: there are too many
psychological political and other hurdles and obstacles yet we should move forward. This is a
long road for several generations to negotiate.
Bickering: How Much Longer? Russian-Polish Relations