RIYADH, 3 May — Saudi-Polish relations are poised to undergo a strong qualitative boost during the next few months, according to Dr. Stanislaw W. Smolen, the Chargé d’affaires of the Republic of Poland in Riyadh. Speaking to Arab News on the occasion of his country’s national day, to be marked today, he said: “In the summer of 2001, we expect a Saudi embassy to be opened in Warsaw. We are also looking to fruitful results from a visit by a Saudi Trade mission to our country scheduled to take place in October this year. The delegation will attend an international exhibition and participate in the second session of the Joint Business Council”.
Celebrating the national day on May 3, Poland commemorates the first written Polish constitution, which was adopted on this day in the year 1791. This constitution was the first modern basic law on European continent and the second in the world, after the American constitution. “When we come to the historical significance of this day in regard to the Saudi Polish relations, it was this day that witnessed the first official Polish delegation, which was received by King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, to Saudi Arabia,” Dr. Smolen said.
The delegation, consisted of Mufti of Poland Dr. Jakub Szynkiewicz and the representative of the Ministry of Polish Foreign Affairs Count Edward Raczynski. Furthermore, when we come closer to our times, it was on May 3, 1995 that Poland and the Kingdom established diplomatic relations,” he added.
Another important development that has recently taken place in the relations between the two countries is that the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education has accredited several Polish medical academies, universities of technology and economics.
“Now Saudi students can study in Poland either in Polish or English languages and evenqualify for scholarships,” Dr. Smolen said.
