Polish Foreign Minister says agreement with Israel on organising Israeli educational trips to Poland

The head of the Ministry of Foreign AffairsMinistry of Foreign Affairs MFA said on Wednesday in Warsaw that the agreement with Israel optimises and organises rules for Israeli educational visits to Poland.

Zbigniew Rau, speaking at a joint press conference with the head of Israeli diplomacy, Eli Cohen, announced an agreement with Israel regarding the organisation of trips for Israeli youth to Poland and Polish youth to Israel.

The Israeli side referred to our point of view with understanding and has adopted the Polish position, said Rau.

He said that both sides managed to reach an agreement on several issues over the course of almost a year of negotiations, led by the MFA and also attended by the Ministry of Science and Higher EducationMinistry of Science and Higher Education.

The agreement also allows the Polish side the possibility of organizing Polish educational visits to Israel on the same terms, as well as the previously dispersed rules for organising Israeli educational visits to Poland, and ensures that they are coordinated with the agreement, according to Rau.

The agreement closes a certain stage, far from the optimal state, a stage in bilateral relations and opens up opportunities for balanced, equal and reciprocal relations, Rau said.

In mid-June of last year, the Israeli Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education announced the cancellation of educational trips to Poland for high school students. The Ministry justified its decision on the basis of problems that prevented students from being informed while traveling.

According to Poland's MFA, a return to the old rules for trips by Jewish youth with participation of armed Israeli services was not possible.