Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Poland
Transcript of the meeting's beginning:
Donald Tusk (as translated): Mr Prime Minister, I am happy to welcome you in Sopot, especially since it is my hometown. We had a nice walk on the longest pier and I was happy to show you around and to tell you about my ancestors, my family.
I am glad that you have accepted the invitation to come here on September 1. Apart from our bilateral meeting, we will be able to pay our respects to victims of World War II. I am confident that a wise and honest attitude to the memory of the war will promote bilateral relations, in particular between Poland and Russia.
It became clear as soon as we met today that we are taking a fresh step towards strengthening mutual trust and an attitude to the past that can be used as the foundation for building the future. These are our key goals, and so I would like to express my gratitude to you for accepting my invitation.
Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, thank you for the invitation and for the spirit in which we have started our meeting today.
In the past, Sopot was the site of a regular song festival. I can now see why - it is very beautiful here.
As for the reason why colleagues from other European countries and I have come here, it concerns a painful date in the history of Europe, a memorable date because it is associated with huge losses and the largest and bloodiest war of the 20th century.
I want you to know that Russia has always respected the courage and heroism of Polish people, Polish men and officers who were the first to stand up against Nazism in 1939.
As for history and the events that preceded the tragedy, I think we should leave them above all - at least now - to professionals. We have agreed today that our joint group on this subject has started off quite well.
The fabric of history is a complicated and diverse, and it has more than one colour. Some say WWII began with the operation in Abyssinia, others say it started in Spain, and still others think it began in the Far East. Strangely, all of those people have a right to say so, because these events are associated with their personal tragedy.
I believe many wrong steps were taken in Europe that led to the tragedy, and the day when that tragedy began, September 1, 1939. Of course, we must know what led to that tragedy, see the reasons behind it, its root causes. We must determine them - and move on.
I would like to express my wholehearted gratitude to you for the efforts your Government has taken in the past years to promote bilateral trade and economic relations. Our trade and economic relations rose very high in 2008: Russia became Poland's second largest trade and economic partner after Germany.
I am sincerely happy for you, for the achievements of your Government. Despite the economic crisis, Poland has demonstrated very good results - while Europe is declining, your economy has grown 1.1%. Please accept my congratulations. I hope that trade and economic relations between our countries will also have a positive role to play in this.
Thank you.
