Poland acts as if the EU is "beneath its dignity" say anonymous diplomats

One of the diplomats representing the EU during accession negotiations descr ibes Poland as a combination of French arrogance, British euro-skepticism an d Spanish brutality. This means that after enlargement the EU will receive a member which is particular, strange and tough. For EU leaders, Poland's next move is a never-ending source of surprises. According to European diplomats, this is due to the country's tragic history and the conviction of Poles that their country has the opportunity to become a European giant. Reuters states that the same negotiation technique was previously employed by Britain, Spai n, France and Greece and aims at starting a crisis if all other techniques f ail. An anonymous diplomat said, "Poland negotiates as if everything is bene ath its dignity and thinks that other states should ask it to join the club ." (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3) M.M.