Only days after arriving at Georgetown, former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, the School of Foreign Service’s newest faculty member, is already receiving star treatment.

Named a distinguished scholar in the practice of global leadership in the SFS on March 7, last week was Kwasniewski’s first as a Georgetown lecturer.

“It’s a new experience for me after 10 years as president,” Kwasniewski said in an interview yesterday. “It’s an honor, a challenge, a new experience.”

The former president said that his first impression of Georgetown and its students has been “absolutely positive” and mentioned the insightfulness of questions he has received in his lectures thus far.

Kwasniewski explored the possibilities of his upcoming year at the university, saying that the foremost question in his mind is, “What can I offer?” His answer: extensive political experience.

Kwasniewski said his lectures will focus primarily on Poland’s transition from a communist state to a republic, the expansion of the European Union, European security concerns, the future of NATO and the role of central and Eastern Europe in an increasingly interdependent global society.

Joining the ranks of former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Kwasniewski said during the interview that he looks forward to working with the university’s other distinguished scholars.

“I worked very closely with Madeline Albright during the Clinton administration,” he said.

Remaining mum on his views toward United States’ current administration, Kwasniewski would only say his support for the invasion of Iraq was “one of the most difficult and dramatic decisions during my presidency.”

“I think we were right,” he said. “I agree with President Bush that a world without Saddam Hussein is better than one with Saddam Hussein.”

Kwasniewski said that Poland and the international community should continue to work for a democratic Iraqi government.

“Now is the time to support the Iraqi constitution, the Iraqi government,” he said.

Kwasniewski added that his main achievements as Polish leader from 1995 to 2005 included the promotion of democracy, the creation of a more democratic Polish constitution in 1997 and the development of good relations with neighboring countries.

“[Poland’s] entry to the E.U. in 2004 was important because it means we have all the chances for development we didn’t have before and can finally be in the European family,” Kwasniewski said.

Kwasniewski said he hopes to see current President Lech Kaczynski, elected in December, “use these unique opportunities we created last year, not to destroy them,” but expressed disappointment with the new leadership.

“Some say the past 10 years was the best time in our history,” he said. “Sometimes I’m afraid this new administration is not so active to use the new opportunities Poland has.”