I present this collection of documents on foreign policy of the Republic of Poland with great pleasure. It is the fourth edition of selected documents, papers and background materials which served the Polish Foreign Service throughout the year 2005. As in previous editions, the collection has been compiled as a testimony to Poland's active engagement in international affairs and a reflection on the political thought which guided our activities.

The year 2005 was marked with numerous important events joining together the past, the present and the future: the sad departure of Pope John Paul II, the 60th anniversaries of liberation of the German Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz and the end of the World War II as well as the 25th anniversary of the birth of Solidarity. These events stimulated our new assessment of history and reaffirmed our need to build a legacy for the posterity. This intellectual and emotional stimulus produced a feeling of responsibility - a key underlying factor in many international developments. The impact of this historical reflection on the Polish foreign policy was evident in our numerous initiatives and activities aiming at securing a world of safety, justice, wealth and solidarity for the next generations.

Thus, I invite you to consider this publication as a gateway to explore further Poland's foreign policy. I hope that you will find it both interesting and useful.

Stefan Meller

Minister of Foreign Affairs

visit us at www.msz.gov.pl