Komorowski invites Obama to Poland for ‘freedom anniversary’

President Bronisław Komorowski speaks members of the Polonia community in New York, 24.09.2013 Photo: PAP/Jacek Turczyk

Komorowski spoke to Barack Obama during a dinner which the US President put on for participants of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, as well as during a lunch on Tuesday given by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The Polish president spoke to his American counterpart about the 25th anniversary of the first partially free elections in Poland on 4 June 1989.

Asked by Polish Radio whether Obama will come to Poland, Komorowski said “we are talking about it, and we will try to persuade [Obama], although we’ll see,” although he underlined that there is “understanding about the importance of the anniversary.”

“We are very much counting on the active presence of the USA for the anniversary, which is an anniversary of freedom, and the 4 June is not just a freedom day for Poland,” Komorowski added.

The Polish president also spoke about the future of Ukraine with Obama, saying that “it was important for me to get through to the US president to say that Poland is effectively building political support for Ukraine.”

Asked what he heard from Barack Obama, however, Komorowski said that the US president declared that he “looks better without a moustache”, adding that since Michelle backed up her husband's words, he took the message to heart. (jb)