Baltic leaders joined a chorus of condolences Saturday following the death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash in Russia, according to dpa. "I have no words to describe my sorrow at receiving news of the tragic plane crash this morning," said Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves. Describing Kaczynski as one of Estonia's closest friends, Ilves recalled phone calls made in April 2007, when Kaczynski supported Estonia during a cyber attack emanating from Russia and August 2008, when the two flew together to Tbilisi to support Georgia after the outbreak of war with Russia. "I bow my head in remembrance of all those who died alongside their president," Ilves said. Latvian President Valdis Zatlers struck a similar note. "My Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski and his spouse Maria had become true friends of Latvia. In the name of this friendship, all the Latvian people have lowered their heads in mourning and stand beside the Polish people," he said. Flowers were laid outside the Polish embassy in Riga throughout the day by members of the public. Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite was among the first leaders to offer "deepest condolences" to Poland in the wake of the plane crash. She and Kaczynski met in Vilnius on Thursday and announced plans for a new gas pipeline between the neighbouring countries, which share deep historic links. Around 200,000 ethnic Poles live in Lithuania. -- SPA
