World leaders express sorrow at death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski

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Leaders express sorrow at Polish president’s death

A look at what world leaders are saying about the plane crash in which Polish President Lech Kaczynski perished Saturday:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kaczynski family, the loved ones of those killed in this tragic plane crash, and the Polish nation.” — President Barack Obama

“On this difficult day the people of Russia stand with the Polish people.” — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

“I knew that his whole life had been dedicated to the fight for the freedom of Poland and the freedom of Europe . . . Germany is mourning today with the whole Polish people.” — German Chancellor Angela Merkel

“I think the whole world will be saddened and in sorrow as a result of the tragic death in a plane crash of President Kaczynski and his wife Maria and the party that were with them,” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said. “We know the difficulties that Poland has gone through, the sacrifices that he himself made as part of the Solidarity movement. We know the contribution he made to the independence and the freedom of Poland.”

“On this difficult day the people of Russia stand with the Polish people,” Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

“It is a grave loss that has stricken a friendly country and in which I am sharing in with my heart.” — Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi

Kaczynski “served his country and people with distinction and conviction, and was deservedly respected internationally. That he died en route to an event marking a new level of reconciliation between Poland and Russia is particularly poignant.” — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

“It is with the deepest sorrow that I have learnt of the death of President Lech Kaczynski and First Lady Madame Kaczynska. On this sad occasion I recall President Kaczynski’s long and distinguished public service and his role in the Solidarity movement.” — Queen Elizabeth

French President Nicolas Sarkozy in a statement paid tribute to Kaczynski. “Lech Kaczynski devoted his life to his country. A tireless defender of the ideas in which he believed, he always battled with conviction for the values that founded his entry into politics: democracy, liberty and the fight against totalitarianism,” Sarkozy said.

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“This is a black day for Poland. It’s a disaster of unheard-of proportions. To think that a considerable part of the Polish government has died, it’s terrible: the president of Poland, the foreign minister, the head of the armed forces, the deputy chairman of parliament. We sympathize intensely with the next of kin and the Polish people.” — Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende

“On behalf of all of NATO, and myself personally, I express my most profound condolences to the people of Poland, and to the families of President and Mrs. Kaczynski and all those who have died in this terrible accident. This is a tragedy for them and for Poland. My thoughts are with them today.” — NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen: “On behalf of all of NATO, and myself personally, I express my most profound condolences to the people of Poland, and to the families of President and Mrs Kaczynski and all those who have died in this terrible accident. This is a tragedy for them and for Poland. My thoughts are with them today.”

“Ukraine has learned about the plane crash … with great sorrow and inexpressible pain,” Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych said in a statement. “We share the deep pain of a loss that hit the friendly Polish people and mourn together with the families of the dead.”

Colombia’s foreign ministry said in a statement that “the government and people of Colombia express and send to the brother nation of Poland their condolences and solidarity in the face of this terrible event.”