Polish Ambassador Schnepf meets with Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida. The broad Polish-U.S. cooperation and the Visa Waiver Program were the central subjects of a discussion

At the meeting’s onset, Ambassador Schnepf expressed his condolences on behalf of the Polish people to Congressman Diaz-Balart for the tragic acts of terrorism that took place in Boston a day earlier.

The Ambassador and Congressman also discussed a wide range of issues related to Polish-U.S. cooperation and the Polish American community which is experiencing significant growth in Florida. The get-together provided an opportunity for the Congressman to update the Ambassador about the progress and prospects of immigration reform currently being drafted in the House of Representatives as well as for a candid conversation about how the issue of Visa Waiver Reform ties into this effort.
The subject of democracy promotion was also discussed at length. The Ambassador thanked Congressman Diaz-Balart for his visit to Krakow for the 10th anniversary gathering of the Community of Democracies, and the Congressman in turn noted how much he appreciates Poland being a steadfast ally, as well as Poland’s leadership in the area of democracy promotion, particularly in places like Belarus. Both men also discussed how lessons learned in Poland and best practices can be applied in places like Cuba.

The meeting concluded with the Congressman reaffirming his commitment to Poland and expressing his enthusiasm about working closely with both the Ambassador and the Embassy on a wide range of issues for years to come, while the Ambassador noted that he intends to visit the Congressman’s district and the city of Miami on future occasions during his tenure.