During the informal gathering of EU foreign ministers in Avignon over the weekend, Poland had tabled a number of concepts relating to the Union's current Eastern policy.

Slawek Szefs reports.                  

Minister Radoslaw Sikorski fully endorsed EU plans to send its observers to monitor the situation in Georgia. He advocated, however, supplementing the civilian contingent with military and police representatives who would increase the effectiveness of the international observer group. Poland is ready to have its share in this mission, he pledged. Similar declarations have been made concerning an international enquiry on the course of the Russian-Geogian conflict. This has been strongly demanded by the European Parliament and members Germany, Britain and Italy.

The head of Polish diplomacy also tried to convince his EU colleagues that Ukraine should be more strongly encouraged by Brussels to tighten cooperation with regard to its European integration process. This, despite counter arguments heard from some member countries that the uncertain political situation in Kiev pushes any EU accession considerations back in time. However, minister Sikorski, too, voiced disappointment with the developments in Ukraine.

'The intensity and strength of arguments presented by Ukraine's supporters have been jeopardized. Such are the realities. To manifest pro-Ukrainian gestures we must know what Ukraine itself wants. We share common opinion of our partners that Ukraine has repeatedly chosen a bad moment for a constitutional and parliamentary crisis.'

Radoslaw Sikorski also signaled Poland's readiness to drop sanctions against Belarus, now that the Lukashenko regime has released all political prisoners. The sanctions were imposed on the Minsk authorities 4 years ago in protest of notorius breach of human rights in Belarus.

'You may expect a quick pace of developments in the formula of relations with Belarus. This will depend on Belarusian reactions, but if this trend be maintained, the dropping of sanctions is possible within a relatively short period.'

In the opinion of minister Sikorski, the most favorable time would be following the parliamentary elections in Belarus scheduled for end September.

This stand clearly coincided with the statement of Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU commissioner for foreign relations.

'I am, in principle, in favor of giving them an important signal. I think that is something we have to show to them, because we cannot just say we want to do something and then not do it. So, I will support our Polish colleague.'

British foreign secretary David Miliband had been more sceptical about the imminent possiblity of lifting EU sanctions against Belarus.

'Well, I think it is still an open question. we need to see reports from the people who have been on the ground. I think this will be a chance for surveying the scene, rather than for making a final decision.'

This final decision may be taken by mid month when EU foreign ministers intend to invite their opposite number from Minsk to their formal meeting.

The weekend discussions in Avignon have shown Poland to be less radical in its assessment of the Union's Eastern policies than commonly anticipated, says professor Oskar Chomicki from the Poland In Europe Foundation.

'I think it's a repetition of what happened on any occasion of that kind in the past. During the Barcelona meeting or in Brussels, some people thought that Polish attitude was too radical or quite unacceptable to Poland's partners in the West. And in the end, it turned out that poland took a rather moderate approach to some of the issues discussed.'

This could imply Warsaw's perspective has become more convergent with Brussels. On the other hand, some of the more influental EU members have come to realize the validity of many Polish arguments which, despite their often radical sounding nature, come from painful historical experience.