Moscow, April 29 (Interfax) - An increasing number of Russian citizens define Poland as a friendly state and declare progress in bilateral relations, the Public Opinion Foundation said.
Sixty-four percent of Russians polled, in 44 regions, in late April said they had positive feelings about Poland, and 48% of them described Poland as a friendly state. The indicator stood at 31% two years ago.
Eleven percent had negative feelings about Poland, while the number of respondents defining Poland as an unfriendly nation is down from 38% to 24%.
Thirty-five percent said that bilateral relations had improved (7% in 2006). Thirty-three percent said there had been no change, and 7% said that the relations had deteriorated (29% four years ago).
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the spring session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) on Thursday that the plane crash near Smolensk was a symbolic moment in Russia-Poland relations, which might help the countries overcome their tragic past.
The Polish presidential plane crashed near Smolensk on April 10. All 96 people on board, including Polish President Lech Kaczynski, were killed.
The delegation was due to attend a memorial service at the Polish military cemetery in Katyn, an annual event organized by the Council on Monuments of Struggle and Martyrdom.
