OREANDA-NEWS. September 11, 2008. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, paid a visit to the Republic of Poland on September 11, during which he had talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski and also a conversation with Chairman of the Council of Ministers Donald Tusk.

In a thorough and frank exchange of views on a broad range of issues in Russian-Polish relations, both sides noted the readiness to gradually remove accumulated negative accretions in them. In furtherance of the accords reached during the reception of the head of the Polish government in Moscow this past February, the importance was noted of shaping a positive agenda and a favorable atmosphere of bilateral ties for their onward development in the spirit of good-neighborliness and respect of mutual interests.

Lavrov explained the principled approach of the Russian side to the situation surrounding Russia’s recognition of the new states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and reiterated the negative attitude of the Russian Federation toward the Polish-American accord on the deployment of elements of the third US missile defense site on Polish territory, that upsets security and strategic stability in Europe.

During the talks with Sikorski, particularly as the co-chairs of the Committee for Russian-Polish Cooperation Strategy, the prospects of effective preparations for its meeting were discussed, along with the work arrangements for the mechanisms of bilateral interaction: the Russian-Polish Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, the Group for Difficult Affairs, which deals with complicated issues stemming from the history of Russian-Polish relations, the Business Council and others.

The ministers took part in the work of the Russian-Polish Public Forum, an informal discussion platform for representatives of the civil societies of the two countries, whose meeting was held during the visit in the Polish capital.

In accordance with established practice the foreign ministers of Russia and Poland took a decision to present their joint diplomas for services in the promotion of understanding and rapprochement between the Russian and Polish societies. Russian film director and actor Nikita Mikhalkov and Polish stage and film actor and director Wojciech Semen became the laureates.

Sergey Lavrov laid a wreath at the grave of Soviet soldiers who fell in the battles for the liberation of Warsaw in the years of World War II.