This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS WARSAW 000146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DKOSTELANCIK AND MSESSUMS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SENV PREL PL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR ASHE'S COURTESTY CALL ON NEW MINISTER 
OF ENVIRONMENT SZYSZKO 
 
 
¶1.  Ambassador Ashe paid a courtesy call to Poland's Minister 
of the Environment Jan Szyszko on January 27.  Ambassador 
Ashe began by talking of his admiration of Poland's national 
parks systems and his dedication to increasing the green 
spaces of Knoxville during his tenure as Mayor of the city. 
Ambassador Ashe also enthusiastically recounted his recent 
visit to Kampinos National Park and plans to visit parks in 
Northeast Poland this spring.  Minister Szyszko and the 
Ambassador also discussed the sister park relationship 
between Kampinos and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. 
Minister Szyszko was aware of the relationship from his time 
as National Parks Director. 
 
¶2.  The conversation turned to the excellent condition and 
maintenance of many Polish national parks, and the fact that 
Poland has not overdeveloped its rural areas.  Minister 
Szyszko attributed this, in part, to the traditional Polish 
philosophy that states national park land should be utilized 
for its inherent wealth, such as hunting or honey production. 
 When asked by Ambassador Ashe about his chief goals as 
Minister, Szyszko continued on this theme, stating that he 
hoped to use national resources to create jobs.  He is, in 
fact, a specialist in this field, and stated that Poland 
produces very high quality natural foods, and in addition, 
has some of the best soil conditions of any country in 
Europe.  Szyszko hopes to make Polish food products 
competitive across Europe, and will ask the EU to help in 
this endeavor by recognizing the link between environmental 
conservation and the utilization of environmental resources. 
 
¶3.  Ambassador Ashe mentioned that U.S. national parks and 
local parks are economically beneficial because they promote 
tourism and lead to secondary business opportunities in the 
surrounding areas.  He mentioned the poor state of Poland's 
road system, and stated that if the GOP could improve this 
infrastructure the same opportunities would eventually 
materialize in the Polish countryside.  Szyszko agreed 
wholeheartedly with this comment and cited GOP plans to 
invest heavily in road construction, but also stated that the 
GOP wanted to avoid building roads that could lead to 
environmental degradation. 
 
¶4.  Ambassador Ashe asked Szyszko if he had any plans to 
visit the U.S. and offered help in setting up meetings with 
the appropriate USG agencies.  Szyszko was grateful but did 
not foresee having enough time to travel to the U.S. in the 
near future due to his busy schedule.  He did mention that as 
a long-time reader of Jack London's works he would someday 
like to see the Yukon River in Alaska. 
ASHE