President Chen Shui-bian on the morning of January 24 met with Lech Walesa, the former president of the Republic of Poland, at the Presidential Office. President Chen, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC (Taiwan), extended a warm welcome and appreciation to the former president on another visit to Taiwan, this time to participate in the Global Forum on New Democracies.
President Chen noted that this is the fifth visit to Taiwan by the former leader of Poland. Former President Walesa's first visit to Taiwan was in 1996, while the other four have been in President Chen's term of office. Former President Walesa attended President Chen's inauguration in May 2000, followed by another visit here in 2001 to participate in the Voice from Taiwan: Peace and Love activity. Last year, he participated in the preparatory meeting of the Global Forum on New Democracies, and his attendance at this meeting will make the event all the more meaningful, President Chen said.
President Chen also expressed his concern about the former president's health. He said he is pleased to see Former President Walesa exhibiting more energy and having better color than he did last year. President Chen also congratulated the former president on the strong response and success of the Eagle's Nest cooperation project, which is a joint effort between the Lech Walesa Institute Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that seeks to promote extracurricular activities for Polish elementary and junior high school students. The president lauded his guest for his work and accomplishments in promoting democracy in Poland, adding that he hopes Taiwan's successful story of democratization will serve as a beacon for communist nations, including China.
Former President Walesa said that relations between Taiwan and Poland have become closer while President Chen has been in office. He also said he will warmly welcome President Chen to join the "club of former Presidents" in the near future. The former Polish president believes that President Chen has been responsible for democratic achievements on Taiwan and said that he is confident the president will make an even larger contribution to global democracy in the future.
Former President Walesa, Warsaw Trade Office in Taipei Deputy Director General Romuald Morawski, Lech Walesa Institute Foundation President Piotr Gulczynski and former presidential aide Adam Dominski were accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Elizabeth Y. F. Chu. Also in attendance at the meeting was Deputy Secretary-General to the President Lin Chia-lung.