Poland not likely to join global migration pact: PM

It is highly probable that Poland will not be part of a global pact on migration, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday.

"Our principles regarding border protection and migration control are our priority," Morawiecki said during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Warsaw.

"It is very likely that, like Austria, the Czech Republic and the United States, we will not be part of the UN Global Compact, as we believe that our rules, our sovereign rules and border protection and migration control are an absolute priority for us," said Morawiecki.

Merkel, on the other hand, expressed her support for the UN pact, which is the subject of an adoption meeting set for Dec. 11-12 in Marrakech, Morocco. Germany worked intensively on the text and it ensures the sovereignty of individual nations, she said.

Besides the topic of immigration, Merkel and Morawiecki also exchanged views on a series of issues of mutual concern including Brexit, Ukraine and EU unity.

Morawiecki admitted that the Brexit talks were not easy, but said he was sure they were "on the right path". Merkel said there was still much work ahead before an agreement between the EU and Britain is reached.

Asked about their countries' priorities with regard to the Brexit issue, Mroawiecki and Merkel said Polish and German interests in this respect were convergent and that both Poland and Germany wanted to see the matter resolved as soon as possible.

Morawiecki also said that Germany and Poland were aware of the challenges facing Europe, and know they have to pool forces in pursuing measures to strengthen the EU internally and against outside threats. He added that both countries were increasingly convergent in their positions on EU affairs.

"We underscore the importance of maintaining a stable situation in Ukraine, and this is also important in the context of Nord Stream 2," Morawiecki said.

Asked about the directions in which the EU should develop in the future, Merkel said relations with the community's neighbors were important, but observed that the EU should also "speak out truthfully" on violations of international law, as in the case of the Ukraine conflict.

Answering the same question, Morawiecki underscored the importance of European defense policy and the redirection of the EU's financing towards innovation.