Polish, Russian leaders agree to memorial at crash site (Roundup)

Dec 6, 2010, 15:56 GMT

Warsaw - Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Monday pledged greater cooperation between their two countries in what both described as a historic visit by the Russian head of state.

Komorowski and Medvedev reached agreement on a number of issues. Among the most significant was the establishment of a memorial to the victims of the April plane crash in Russia in which then-president Lech Kaczynski and 95 others were killed.

Komorowski said the move would deepen relations between Poland and Russia.

Medvedev vowed that the Russian side of the crash investigation would be objective, and he promised to assist in uncovering the full truth of the Soviet massacre of Polish officers in World War II.

Medvedev's visit, the first by a Russian president in eight years, was a fresh start in the history of Polish-Russian relations, Komorowski said.

Both nations are capable of 'overcoming the drama of a difficult history' to move towards a better future, he added.

'We're not only opening a new chapter, but a good chapter in Polish-Russian relations, in the book we've been writing for thousands of years of shared relations,' Komorowski said.

Medvedev said the talks took place in an 'atmosphere of trust' and that he hoped the meeting was the start of 'multidimensional' relations between Warsaw and Moscow.

'I'm convinced this long-anticipated visit will give our relations a new dynamic,' Medvedev said. Medvedev said he hoped better relations with Warsaw would help Russian cooperation with NATO and the European Union.

A few dozen people protested outside the presidential palace as Medvedev arrived, holding up signs saying, 'Smolensk - We Want the Truth,' and 'Free Chechnya.'

The protesters said they wanted an international commission to investigate the plane crash. Polish and Russian prosecutors are currently cooperating on two separate probes.

Polish investigators have largely praised their Russian counterparts for cooperation in the probe, but they have criticized Russia for delays in turning over evidence and documents.

Medvedev said it was important the findings of the investigation were available to everyone and that proper procedures were followed. 'Only then we can speak of objectivity,' Medvedev said.

Discussions between Komorowski and Medvedev also touched on the Soviet massacre of some 22,000 Poles during World War II. Komorowski said he expected Russia to understand the need to turn over all of its documents in its probe into those killings.

The Soviet Union maintained for four decades that Nazi Germany was responsible for the killings, admitting guilt only in 1990.

The Russian parliament last month officially condemned the massacre for the first time. Medvedev said Russia will continue to work with Poland to uncover the full truth of the massacre.

Currently historians do not have a full list of all the victims.

'We should know the truth. Poles need it, and our citizens need it just as much because our histories are tied in tragic events in which people suffered,' Medvedev said.

Polish and Russian culture ministers signed a letter of intent Monday to set up a 'dialogue centre' - one in Russia and another in Poland - to build understanding between Russians and Poles on history and national heritage.

Poland and Russia signed several other agreements Monday, including one to battle pollution in the Baltic Sea and another to streamline cooperation between Polish and Russian prosecutors.

Medvedev was to later meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Medvedev was to lay flowers Tuesday at a memorial to Soviet soldiers before traveling to Brussels for a Russia-EU summit.

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