O, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688
consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the
flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy Poland

Economy - overview:
Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization
throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among
transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done, especially
in bringing down unemployment. The privatization of small and
medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing
new firms has encouraged the development of the private business
sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent
corruption are hampering its further development. Poland's
agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor,
inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and
privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads,
and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in
health care, education, the pension system, and state administration
have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further
progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in
Polish state enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling
the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers,
most of whom pay no tax. The government has introduced a package of
social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by
about $17 billion through 2007. Additional reductions are under
discussion in the legislature