Washington: Mourning the tragic death of
Polish President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash on Saturday, US
President Barack Obama said Kaczynski was a distinguished
statesman who played a key role in the Solidarity movement.
"Today`s loss is devastating to Poland, to the United
States and to the world. President Kaczynski was a
distinguished statesman who played a key role in the
Solidarity movement, and he was widely admired in the United
States as a leader dedicated to advancing freedom and human
dignity," Obama said in a statement.
Obama also called Polish Prime Minister Tusk to express
his deepest condolences to the people of Poland on the tragic
deaths the President, First Lady Maria Kaczynski, and all the
97 onboard the ill-fated Soviet era Tupolev-154 aircraft.
The aircraft was taking the Presidential entourage to
mark 70th anniversary of the massacre of thousands of Polish
officers by Soviet secret police under Joseph Stalin. It
crashed while landing in dense fog in southwestern Russian
region of Smolensk.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kaczynski family,
the loved ones of those killed in this tragic plane crash, and
the Polish nation. With him were many of Poland?s most
distinguished civilian and military leaders who have helped to
shape Poland’s inspiring democratic transformation. We join
all the people of Poland in mourning their passing," he said.
Obama said the US cherishes its deep and abiding bonds
with the people of Poland.
"Those bonds are represented in the strength of our
alliance, the friendships among our people, and the
extraordinary contributions of Polish-Americans who have
helped to shape our nation," said the US President.
Russian leaders express grief
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday reacted with shock at the tragic plane crash that killed his Polish counterpart and his wife, along with other top
leaders of the country, calling it a "horrible tragedy".
Medvedev declared a state mourning on Monday as a mark of
respect for late President Lech Kaczynski, who was on his way
to Russia, along with a Presidential delegation to attend the
70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre in which hundreds of
Polish officers were killed by Joseph Stalin`s secret police.
"I and all the citizens of Russia are shocked by the
horrible tragedy - death of President of the Republic of
Poland Lech Kaczynski, his spouse, all the polish citizens who
were onboard the crashed aircraft," Medvedev said in his
televised message to the people of Poland.
Polish President and his wife were among the 97 people
onboard the presidential Soviet-built Tupolev Tu-154 jet,
which crashed in dense fog this morning.
"On behalf of the Russian people I express deepest, most
sincere condolences to the Polish people, feelings of sympathy
and support to the bereaved families. All the Russians share
grief and mourn with you," Medvedev said.
He promised that all circumstances of the tragedy would
be probed in the "most thorough manner" in closest interaction
with the Polish side.
"I have given extensive instructions to the law
enforcement agencies," Medvedev assured the Polish people.
Russia`s Emergency Situations Ministry meanwhile released
a list of the names of all the people who were killed in this
morning`s crash of the presidential aircraft near Smolensk.
There were 88 people on the official list including
the President and nine members of the crew, Emergency
Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu told Rossiya 24 TV.
She said the rescuers are collecting the bodies strewn
over a large area on the on the crash site.
Meanwhile, Prime Ministers of Russia and Poland have
left Smolensk to personally supervise the probe.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who was earlier today
appointed head of high-level probe into the crash of Polish
presidential liner, had an emergency meeting with President
Dmitry Medvedev at his country retreat Gorki near Moscow.
"Nothing like this has ever happened before," Putin said
at a meeting of the Russian cabinet.
"A tragedy has taken place, a very serious tragedy. The
president of Poland has died, along with his wife and a
significant number of Polish citizens who were flying to
Smolensk region," Putin was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS.
Before the meeting the two leaders visited Medvedev`s
private chapel to pray for the polish plane crash victims.
Russian TV channels showed Medvedev and Putin lighting
candles in the chapel to mark the memory of the President.
Putin said a special crisis management centre has been set
up in Moscow, where the dead bodies would be brought for
identification.
He said the Foreign Ministry has been ordered to promptly
issue visas to the relatives wishing to come to Russia.
According to the Kremlin, Medvedev also called up Polish
Prime Minister Donald Tusk and assured Moscow`s full
cooperation with Warsaw in the probe.
Prime Minister Putin has also sent his condolences to his
Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk.
"Vladimir Putin called Prime Minister Donald Tusk and
expressed his condolences to him personally and the entire
Polish nation in regard to the tragic airplane crash outside
Smolensk," Peskov said.
Speaker of Russian State Duma Boris Gryzlov also sent
condolence message to his Polish counterpart Komorowski.
Putin and Tusk agreed that their transport and disaster
management ministers will issue a joint statement on the
probe.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is visiting Kiev, in
a televised statement, said that Russian agencies probing the
crash of the Presidential Tu-154 airliner will fully cooperate
with the relevant Polish agencies and the Russian Embassy in
Warsaw has been instructed to issue fast track visas to all
the Polish experts and officials involved in the probe.
PTI
