Polish PM steps aside in power struggle over EU summits

Prime Minister Donald TuskWarsaw - The Polish president will attend an upcoming European Union summit alone, TOK FM radio reported, after the prime minister said he would yield his place at the Brussels negotiating table in the latest round of their tense power struggle.

"I will inform the president if he's decided he must go to Brussels, then I will yield," Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently said, adding he would inform President Lech Kaczynski about the government's stance on issues to be discussed at the November 7 meeting.

Tusk said the summit - which will talks about the world financial crisis - provides one chair for each delegation and that he did not want to harm "Poland's prestige."

A power tussle broke out between Tusk and Kaczynski during the last EU summit in October, with many commentators saying their infighting had embarrassed Poland and damaged its international credibility.

The spat ended with both politicians attending, though Kaczynski was forced to charted his own flight after Tusk denied him use of a government plane.

Like most countries, Poland has generally sent its prime minister to EU summits, with the president heading the Polish delegation at NATO summits. (dpa)

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