President Obama greets President Komorowski in Washington last year; photo - PAP/Jacek Turczyk

President Barack Obama has issued a special statement on the eve of the Smolensk tragedy, saying “I join with the American people, including many Polish Americans, in honouring the memory of these 96 Polish patriots.”

President Obama’s statement continues: “The images of the wreckage in Smolensk, and the loss of so many extraordinary civilian and military leaders who guided Poland to democracy and prosperity, broke our hearts.

But it was the inspiring scenes of people coming together, in streets filled with candles and flowers, both in Poland and the United States, that revealed the true strength, resilience and faith of the Polish spirit, as well as the unbreakable bonds between our two countries.

Poland is one of America’s strongest and closest allies, and I look forward to deepening these enduring ties, and carrying on the work of those who perished one year ago this Sunday, when I visit Warsaw next month.”

The US president will be in Poland for a summit of Central and East European leaders to be held on 27 May.

The US Senate is also preparing a resolution to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Smolensk crash. The motion came at the initiative of Senator Richard Lugar (Rep., Indiana)  

President Obama was to attend President Kaczynski’s funeral last April in Krakow but could not attend due to the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud, which shut down airspace over much of Europe. (ss/pg)