Polish Defence minister irritates Berlin over pipeline

Ruprecht Polenz (CDU), head of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee called on the Polish Prime Minister to bring Sikorski into line. In his opinion, that kind of comparison is harmful for Polish-German relations and has no place. "Mr Sikorski should think about his comment and withdraw it immediately," said Hans-Ulrich Close from the SDP. Suddeutsche Zeitung thinks that the comments should be viewed through the perspective of changes in the current Polish government. "Sharp criticism of Berlin is being understood in Warsaw as a bid for the seat of Foreign Affairs Minister," wrote Suddeutsche Zeitung. The newspaper reminded readers that Mr Sikorski is the youngest member of the present government but does not have the reputation of being impulsive. (Rzeczpospolita, A8) S.D.