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Russia’s Culture Minister hopes monument to Kaczynski jet crash to be erected soon

An agreement was reached on convening a regular Russian-Polish meeting on the construction of the monument
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, June 27 (Itar-Tass) - Russia hopes that the issue of putting up a monument at the site near the city of Smolensk where the Polish President Lech Kaczynski’s jet crashed April 10, 2010, will be settled as early as possible, Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky said Thursday.

“The Russian side is set to implement the project /of the monument/, as it realizes its importance for all the people in Poland,” Medinsky said as he answered reporters’ questions.

“In the light of it, we’re ready to render assistance to our Polish counterparts for the completion of construction of the monument within the shortest period of time and with due account of interests of all the parties concerned.”

The Culture Ministry has fulfilled all the requests from the Polish side regarding preparations for installation of the monument. It has sent the topographic map of the locality and all the other essential documents to Poland that will be needed for drawing up a sketch design of the future monument.

“Now we expect detailed project documentation from Poland,” Medinsky said.

“Also, Moscow has sent its proposals on the text of an inscription on the obelisk to Warsaw and it is awaiting a reply from the Polish counterparts,” he said.

In the course of joint contacts, an agreement was reached on convening a regular Russian-Polish meeting on the construction of the monument, in which the officials and experts from the ministries and departments related with the issue would take part.

A Tupolev-154 jet carrying President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and another 86 high-rank officials and eight crewmembers crashed April 10, 2010, in the bush near the Northern airport of Smolensk, killing everyone aboard.

Lech Kaczynski and the delegation were going to Katyn to attend remembrance ceremonies there.