Bronislaw Geremek to receive recognition for his services to the state

President Kwasniewski yesterday announced the award of Order of the White Eagle, the highest national honor, to former Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek. The decoration is to be presented in recognition of Geremek's significant contribution to his homeland, especially for outstanding accomplishments during democratic transformations in the country as well as for strengthening Poland's position in the world. Bronislaw Geremek was one of the leaders of the past anti-communist opposition, an advisor to both underground and legal "Solidarity" in the 1980s, an internee under martial law and a co-author of the Round Table agreements which paved the way to the first democratic elections in Poland since before World War II. Following the 1989 elections he became the head of the Civic Parliamentary Club and was regarded as one of the country's most influential politicians for many years. After losing elections in 2001, while being the head of Freedom Union (UW), Geremek decided to retire from active politics to become an observer and a commentator to Poland's integration process with the EU. The order will be awarded on Independence Day, however Geremek will receive it later this month as he will be attending an international conference entitled "Democracy for Peace" in Seoul on November 11. (Rzeczpospolita, p.A2; Gazeta Wyborcza, p.1) A.K.