Off the wire
• World Bank predicts Belarus's GDP to fall 3.5 pct in 2015  • Pedestrian dies in traffic accident in central Munich  • 18 civilians killed, 47 wounded in Saudi-led airstrike in Yemen's Aden  • Belarusian president congratulates Nazarbayev on reelection  • 10 killed in three bomb attacks in Baghdad  • Urgent: U.S. dollar slips ahead of Fed meeting  • Urgent: Oil prices drop slightly amid ample supply  • Latvian exports of food, agricultural produce slow 6 pct in 2014  • 1st LD Writethru: U.S. new justice chief sworn in after long delay amidst tense racial relations  • 1st Ld: U.S., Japan unveil new defense guidelines  
You are here: 　 Home

Poland, Germany hold intergovernmental consultations in Warsaw

Xinhua, April 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz and German Chancellor Angela Merkel chaired the 13th Polish-German intergovernmental consultations here Monday discussing bilateral relations, security issues and the situation in Ukraine.

Documents concerning the improvement of the situation on the Polish-German border were signed as a part of consultations.

Merkel expressed the will to strengthen cooperation with Poland, including in areas of climate issues, European budget and youth exchanges. She highlighted 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Polish-German Treaty of Good Neighborhood and Friendly Cooperation.

Another topic discussed was Germany's minimum wage policy, which affects Polish transit companies. The policy results in increase in costs, as it requires a minimum wage even for the drivers of lorries passing through the country.

Both sides agreed there was no need to alleviate sanctions against Russia and that aid and support for reforms in Ukraine were needed. The first Polish-German convoy with humanitarian aid will head for Ukraine in the first half of May.

Merkel announced that further discussions regarding the prolongation of sanctions against Russia would be discussed by the European Council during a summit in July 2015.

Polish-German intergovernmental consultations have been held since 1997. Kopacz added they would be held annually from this year. Endit