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Ireland is a country which is close to Polish hearts. Everyone who is familiar with Irish history and culture, who has come to know the beauty of the Emerald Island and its great strides towards a developed civic society, must succumb to the feeling of warm sympathy and admiration. Poland and Ireland are a reflection of one another.

It is pertinent to recall a remark made by Seamus Heaney on the occasion of presenting to him the Order of Merit to Polish Culture in the Polish Embassy earlier this year when he said: "I suppose it is natural that there should be a sympathy and an intuitive understanding between the Poles and the Irish, especially between Polish and Irish poets. Both countries are, after all, to some extent the inventions of the 19th century Romantic poets."

The similarities of historical experiences of our nations, their patriotism and high regard for the ideals of freedom and human rights form the basis of the relationship between Poland and Ireland.

Our co-operation has become close, especially over the recent few years, simultaneously with the reconstruction of Poland's political and economic system and the return of our country to the family of democratic states. Poland is moving with ever greater determination towards integration with the European and Euroatlantic institutions of security and co-operation. Poland and Ireland are partners in the process of European integration and in building a free, prosperous and united Europe.

The past few years have been marked by a rapid development of trade relations and economic co-operation between Poland and Ireland. Trade between the two countries increased from $130 million in 1993 to $290 million in 1997. Irish exports to Poland, however, grew faster - during the four-year period they more than tripled to $218 million. This dynamic growth in Irish exports to Poland illustrates the benefits for the Irish economy of the opening up of the Polish market - a market of 40 million consumers - as a consequence of the European Agreement. It is also an important indication of the future benefits for Ireland of Poland joining the European Union and the resulting widening of the single European market.

We are pleased to note the expansion of the Polish-Irish cultural exchanges. To mention just a few cultural events, this year there had been visits by the Theatre of the Eighth Day participating in the Dublin International Theatre Symposium; Meithal/Wspolnie painters' exchange programme of artists from Lodz and Dublin; painting exhibitions of three Polish artists working in Ireland: Urszula Retzlaff-O'Carroll, Marek Bogacki-Staszkiewicz and Adam Kos.

We view our relations with Ireland not only in bilateral terms, but also in a broader European context. We follow with great interest the achievements recorded by Ireland in the European Union. Those achievements are for us examples of successful integration policies.

THE Irish experience of membership of the European Union is of interest and often relevant to Poland in the context of attracting foreign investors, introducing structural changes (especially in the agricultural sector), developing regions lagging behind, fighting against unemployment and reforming social policies.

Especially important to mutual knowledge and understanding are personal contacts. We welcome the increasing number of Irish tourists visiting Poland and Poles coming to Ireland. Many of those visitors are young people who will shape the future of Polish-Irish relations in the emerging united Europe.