Medvedev to hand over to Komorowski Katyn-related documents.

MOSCOW, May 8 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will
meet with Poland's acting President Bronislaw Komorowski on Saturday. The
Russian head of state will hand over to his Polish counterpart some
archive documents related to the Katyn tragedy and confirm Moscow's
fundamental position to the effect the investigation of the causes of last
April's air crash near Smolensk must be open to the maximum extent.
"Poland's acting president, parliamentary speaker Bronislaw
Komorowski, will pay a visit to Moscow on May 8-9 at the invitation of the
Russian president for participation in festivities on the occasion of the
65th Victory Anniversary. We regard this invitation as an invitation
addressed to the entire Polish people, who fought side by side with us
against a common enemy," a senior Kremlin official told Itar-Tass.
In his opinion "our common victory will be symbolized by the fact that
taking part in the march-past in Red Square will be a Polish army unit and
that Polish veterans and also Poland's former president, General Wojciech
Jaruzelski, who took part in the combat operations himself, have been
invited to Moscow."
At their meeting Medvedev and Komorowski will discuss "the most
topical issues of the bilateral agenda and identify bearings and
benchmarks for the future."
Last time the two leaders met in Krakow on April 18 on a very sad
occasion - the funeral of Poland's President Lech Kaczynski, who died in
the air crash near Smolensk on April 10.
This time Medvedev and Komorowski "will continue the exchange of
opinion regarding the most complicated pages of joint history, including
the problem of Katyn, which, in the opinion of both parties, should not
overburden the future of Russian-Polish relations."
"It is expected that at the meeting Komorowski will get more documents
from Russian archives casting light on the Katyn tragedy," the Kremlin
official said.
He pointed out that "the Russian side is determined to confirm its
high-principled position in favor of the maximum openness in investigating
the causes of the air crash near Smolensk that is being conducted in close
cooperation with the Polish side, which regards this cooperation as highly
professional and rather effective."
"Both sides are interested in the early completion of all necessary
investigative measures and in the publication of the findings," the
Russian presidential staff official said.
After the meeting with Medvedev Komorowski plans to confer Poland's
state awards upon twenty Russian citizens for their great personal
contribution to the large-scale work related to the elimination of the
effects of the air crash near Smolensk and to extending assistance to the
relatives of the victims in Moscow. The decorations will be awarded to
specialists of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, Health Ministry,
Transport Ministry and Interior Ministry.
"The Russian side very much appreciates this token of
acknowledgement," the Kremlin official said.
He recalled that "the next few months will see a very intensive
schedule of work by the main mechanisms of bilateral cooperation, which
have been reset over the past two years." He referred to the
inter-governmental commission for economic cooperation, the committee for
the strategy of Russian-Polish cooperation under the chairmanship of the
two countries' foreign ministers, the group on complex issues stemming
from the history of bilateral relations, the Public Forum, and the Forum
of Regions, operating under the auspices of the upper houses of the two
countries' parliaments, which is scheduled to meet in session in Poland
soon. The establishment of active youth exchanges is a very promising task.
"The Russian approach is clear and unequivocal - steps must be taken
to build pragmatic relations of mutual respect and a special atmosphere of
bilateral ties formed that would promote steady onward development in the
spirit of constructiveness and genuine neighborliness," the Kremlin said.
Experts believe that "trading and economic relations remain the basis
of the entire complex of Russian-Polish cooperation." Despite the general
crisis-related trends in the world economy bilateral trade toward the end
of 2009 totaled 16.7 billion dollars. In January-February 2010 it achieved
3.64 billion dollars, which is twice the same parameter of 2009.
"At the same time some advanced varieties of cooperation, including
investment and innovations-related ones, are still insufficiently
represented in Russian-Polish economic ties. The inter-governmental
commission for economic cooperation, scheduled to gather for a regular
session in Moscow on May 21, is expected to play an important role in
changing this situation for the better," the Kremlin source told Itar-Tass.
He believes that "the cultural and humanitarian component invariably
promotes a better climate of bilateral relations." Cultural exchanges were
stepped up of late. Since 2007 Poland has hosted the annual Russian film
festival Sputnik, and Moscow, a similar festival of new Polish film
releases The Wisla. The Russian song festival at Zielona Gora has been
revived.
"The Russian side has appreciated the assistance furnished by the
Polish partners in making preparations for and opening on the eve of the
65th Victory Anniversary of a new Russian exposition at the state museum
Auschwitz-Birkenau," the Russian presidential administration official said.

-0-str


Delete & Prev | Delete & Next