The message of congratulations from the Polish leader came after Biden won the state-by-state Electoral College vote that officially determines the US presidency.
“Following the vote of the Electoral College, I would like to congratulate you on successfully concluding the election process to become the 46th President of the United States, and wish you a very successful term,” Duda said in a letter posted on his website.
The Polish president added the relationship between his country and the United States “is the shining beacon of what a true strategic partnership is, and what can be achieved while working together.”
Duda said: “We share ideals and values, the core of which are undoubtedly liberty, justice, democracy and the principal role of the international law. On these we have built strong foundations of our bilateral cooperation – in fact the strongest and more profitable to our countries than ever before in history.
“Within the framework of the Polish-American Strategic Dialogue we have extended our partnership in crucial areas, namely security, defense, economic cooperation and innovation.”
Polish President Andrzej Duda. Photo: Jakub Szymczuk/KPRP
Duda noted in his letter that the United States has supported and provided “a considerable amount of funding” to the Polish-led Three Seas Initiative, a regional drive by a number of European countries aiming to carry out joint infrastructure, energy and digital projects.
He also said that Poland has become a destination for American liquefied natural gas (LNG) amid efforts to diversify energy supplies and boost his country's energy security.
“My hope is that this fruitful cooperation will continue under your leadership,” Duda said.
He told Biden that Polish-American relations “have become a pillar of ever-growing importance” for transatlantic and European security and stability.
“We were – and still are – particularly pleased that during the 2016 NATO Summit in Warsaw, under the leadership of President Barack Obama and yours – as the then Vice President – the United States decided to enhance its military presence and posture in Poland, simultaneously strengthening the Alliance’s Eastern flank and building resilience of NATO as a whole,” Duda stated.
He referred to “a dire need to address other challenges to the international security equilibrium rooted in imperial sentiments, as well as the abuse of power and human rights.”
He argued that the international community needed to “stand firmly and speak with one powerful voice” for sovereignty, democratic rights, territorial integrity and freedom of nations.
“Let me assure you that Poland will continue lending its ardent support to the democratic changes in our eastern neighborhood,” Duda declared.
“I hope that the United States will continue to work with us in this regard,” he added.
The Polish leader voiced hope for working together with America in battling the coronavirus pandemic and in combatting and minimizing the negative impacts of COVID-19 on international public health, economic development and people-to-people contacts.
Duda closed his letter by wishing Biden a productive term as the 46th president of the United States while also inviting him to visit Poland.
“Mr. President-elect, permit me once again to congratulate you on your victory, and wish you – on behalf of the Polish Nation – a fruitful term as the 46th President of the United States,” Duda wrote.
“I look forward to all the meetings and discussions we will have in future, both in the bilateral format as well as wider international fora. In that regard, allow me to extend a warm invitation for you to visit Poland,” he concluded.
Image: prezydent.pl
Under a complicated system dating back to the 1780s, a candidate becomes US president not by winning the popular vote but through the Electoral College system, which allots electoral votes to the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on congressional representation.
The 538 members of the Electoral College voted on Monday to confirm Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in the US presidential election in November.
The final Electoral College results are 306 for Biden and 232 for Trump, the Reuters news agency reported.
(gs/pk)
Source: IAR, prezydent.pl, Reuters