The 4th Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Poland and Ukraine was held on 8 February 2012 in Kiev. The Polish delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. The delegation also comprised Undersecretary of State Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and directors of MFA departments.

On 9 February, Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski met David Harris, the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee, one of the most influential Jewish organizations in the United States. The topics discussed during the meeting included Polish-Jewish and Polish-Israeli relations, the situation in the Middle East and Iranian issues, as well as the perspective of including Poland under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.

Secretary of State for European Affairs and Economic Policy Mikołaj Dowgielewicz is due to visit Tallinn on 9-10 February 2012. Mr Dowgielewicz will hold consultations with Kaja Tael, Under-Secretary of State for European Union Affairs and Transatlantic Relations at the Estonian MFA, and Juhan Lepassaar, Director for EU Affairs at the Estonian State Chancellery.

On 6 February 2012, the government of the United States of America decided to close its embassy in Damascus. Simultaneously, the U.S. Department of State – taking into account the special nature of Polish-American relations and Poland’s position in the Middle East – requested that the authorities of the Republic of Poland represent U.S. interests in Syria. In keeping with the principle of international solidarity and the long tradition of Polish-American friendship, Poland has agreed to the request.

The 4th Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Poland and Ukraine will be held on 8 February 2012 in Kiev. The Polish delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.

During the Munich Security Conference on 3-5 February 2012, Minister Radosław Sikorski - apart from taking part in a panel discussion devoted to the role of Germany in the EU and around the world - also engaged in a number of interesting bilateral meetings. Among others, he talked with the foreign ministers of Germany, Spain, Romania, Czech Republic, Moldova, and Serbia. The discussion with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle covered such issues as the Syria crisis, Iran's nuclear programme and the future of the EU - including the new Multiannual Financial Framework.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski is participating in the 48th Munich Security Conference on 3-5 February 2012. During the conference Minister Sikorski will take part in a panel discussion devoted to the role of Germany in Europe and around the world.

On 5 February 2012 Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski will participate in the Council of the Baltic Sea States 17th Extraordinary Ministerial Session in Plön, Germany. The meeting will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Council’s establishment.

On 31 January 2012, in the headquarters of the Permanent Secretariat of the Community of Democracies in Warsaw, Minister Radosław Sikorski presented the Bene Merito distinction to Prof. João Carlos Espada. Since 2009, the Bene Merito honorary distinction has been bestowed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to Polish and foreign citizens whose activities enhance Poland's position in the international arena.