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Poland,Polish President

April 10, 2010 by · Comments Off on Poland,Polish President 

Obama mourns ‘devastating’ Poland lossPoland,Polish President:U.S. President Barack Obama offered his condolences to Poland Saturday, mourning the “devastating” the death of President Lech Kaczynski, and dozens of other senior officials in a plane crash fire.

Obama said he called the prime minister, Donald Tusk, to express his and his wife Michelle “deepest condolences to the people of Poland on the tragic death this morning of President Lech Kaczynski, First Lady Maria Kaczynski, and all those who traveled with them to mark the 70th anniversary of the slaughter of Katyn. ”

Obama described the loss as “devastating to Poland, the United States and the world.”

The plane carrying much of the country’s elite military status and crashed in thick fog in western Russia on Saturday killing 96 people on board.

The aging Russian jet was taking Kaczynski and his wife, the Chief of Staff and other senior military officials, central bank governor, deputy foreign minister, parliamentarians and other senior officials to a ceremony of thousands of Polish soldiers massacred Russian forces in World War II.

Obama said the dead in the accident as “many of Poland‘s most distinguished military and civilian leaders who have helped to inspire a democratic transformation of Poland.”

“Today, there are heavy hearts across America. The United States cherishes its deep and abiding obligations to the people of Poland,” he said in a statement, adding that Americans “join all citizens of Poland Grieving “those who died.

Kaczynski praised as “a distinguished statesman who played a key role in the Solidarity movement, and was widely admired in the United States as a leader dedicated to promoting freedom and human dignity.”

Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush said he and his wife Laura were “deeply saddened” by the tragedy.

“President Kaczynski was a staunch defender of freedom and a friend of the United States,” he said.

“On this sad day, we send our deepest condolences to the Polish people, and especially to the families of those lost in this tragic accident. We shall keep in our thoughts and prayers.”

Last year, Obama Bush administration scrapped plans to install a missile base in Poland to counter threats from “rogue” states like Iran. Russia criticized the original plan as a serious security threat.

Obama opted for a renewed project after the determination of Tehran was developing its short and medium range missiles faster than its capacity long-range missiles.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered his “profound condolences” to the Poles.

“The Poles have suffered more than its share of pain, but they have always shown resilience and resolve in adversity – and I know that will bring together in solidarity to mourn this loss,” he said.

Kaczynski described Clinton as “one of the most valuable and reliable allies of the United States”, waving to him and many others lost in the accident as “men and women who shaped and accelerated after 1989 Poland-democratic transformation.”

“The tragedy of these lives cut will be felt deeply throughout the world, but his legacy will live in a free and prosperous Poland,” he said.

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