VZCZCXRO5457
RR RUEHKW
DE RUEHWR #0501 1351245
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151245Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8310
INFO RUEHKW/AMCONSUL KRAKOW 2275

UNCLAS WARSAW 000501 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS CASC PL
 
SUBJECT: A/S JACOBS VISIT TO POLAND 
 
¶1. Summary: Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Janice L. 
Jacobs visited Consulate General Krakow and Embassy Warsaw May 3-7 
to attend the EUR Consular Leadership Development Conference (CLDC) 
and to observe Mission Poland's consular operations.  In addition, 
A/S Jacobs met with resident American citizens, AmCham members, and 
students of American Studies to discuss U.S. visa policy as well as 
to promote the Foreign Service as a career.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  Following the opening of the EUR CLDC on Monday, May 3, A/S 
Janice Jacobs met with thirty Polish students and six professors of 
the American Studies program at Jagellonian University in Krakow to 
discuss study abroad opportunities in the United States.  A/S Jacobs 
identified participation in a student exchange program in the United 
States as one of the best ways to learn about America and its 
culture.  In discussing the Visa Waiver Program, she acknowledged 
Poland's disappointment in not qualifying for the program.  She 
noted that former President Bush had made expanding the program a 
priority and Congress had responded by raising the refusal rate 
threshold from three percent to ten percent.  Even though Poland is 
still above the threshold refusal rate, A/S Jacobs emphasized that 
this did not preclude the possibility of Poland entering the program 
at some point in the future. 
¶3.  Ambassador Ashe and Embassy Warsaw welcomed A/S Jacobs to Warsaw 
with a breakfast at his residence hosted by the American Chamber of 
Commerce (AmCham), including a brief interview with Tomasz Cwiok, 
editor of the official AmCham publication, The American Investor. 
A/S Jacobs addressed the more than one hundred attendees, explaining 
the role of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, describing U.S. efforts 
on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), and thanking the Poles for their 
ongoing cooperation in fighting terrorism.  She reiterated the USG's 
continued desire to work with the Polish Government as it attempts 
to qualify for VWP status. 
 
¶4.  A/S Jacobs also took the opportunity to promote the Foreign 
Service during a meeting with American students currently studying 
in Poland.  She encouraged the students to consider careers with the 
State Department, sharing many of her own experiences as a Foreign 
Service Officer.  She described the application process and 
emphasized what a great time this is to be a part of the growing 
Foreign Service.  The students were engaged and asked a number of 
questions about the assignment process, training and the breadth of 
opportunities.  Many of the students expressed a strong interest in 
working in the State Department and in taking the Foreign Service 
Exam. 
 
¶5.  A/S Jacobs ended her trip by visiting the Department of Homeland 
Security/International Advisory Program (DHS/IAP) team at Warsaw 
Frederic Chopin Airport.  She discussed the DHS/IAP team's 
operations and policies and thanked them for their help supporting 
U.S.-Polish relations. 
 
¶6.  A/S Jacobs cleared on this cable. 
 
ASHE