By Kay Scrimger
July 12, 2004

The new United States Ambassador to Poland, His Excellency Victor Ashe, addressed the Friday Plenary Session in Boston. President George W. Bush nominated Ashe, former Knoxville Mayor and Conference Past President, on April 8. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on May 21, and he was sworn in on June 23. He will arrive in Warsaw on July 21 to assume his new duties.

"The Conference of Mayors has had a strong history with Poland," the Ambassador said. He pointed out that Conference Executive Director Tom Cochran served as an official election monitor in Poland's May 1990 elections, the first free elections there since the 1930's.

With support from the U.S. Information Agency, the Conference of Mayors sent a four-mayor mission, together with Cochran, to Poland in October 1990, conducting seminars and workshops with more than 150 newly-elected Polish mayors.

"Poland has been a close friend of the United States, dating back to the Revolutionary War," Ashe pointed out. Even when occupied by Germans and Russians in the last century, "the spirit of Polish freedom and Polish identity was never lost," he said.

In the present day, Poland has stood closely with the United States, including participating in the coalition forces in Iraq. "The South Central Sector in Iraq has military contingents from 18 countries, and is led by a Polish general," Ashe said.

Ashe said that in returning to the Conference's Annual Meeting, he feels he is "coming back home." He invited mayors to let him know when they are coming to Poland. "I will look forward to welcoming you and visiting with you in Warsaw," he said.