Obama To Attend Kaczynski Funeral

WASHINGTON (RFE/RL) -- The White House said today that President Barack Obama would fly to Poland to attend the state funeral of Polish President Lech Kaczynski on April 18.

A statement by the White House said, "The president will travel to Krakow, Poland, to attend the State Funeral of President Lech Kaczynski and First Lady Maria Kaczynska on Sunday, April 18."

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said today that "the president will travel to Krakow to express the depth of our condolences to an important and trusted ally."

Kaczynski and his wife will be buried at Wawel castle in Krakow.

The Polish president and his wife were among the 96 people who died on April 10 when their airplane crashed as it attempted to land in Smolensk, Russia.

Kaczynski and his delegation were on their way to Katyn, near Smolensk, for a memorial service for the 22,000 Poles killed by Soviet forces during World War II 70 years ago.

Russia's health minister said today almost half of the dead had already been identified.

Government spokesman Pawel Gras said today that the bodies of 30 victims of the plane crash are expected in Warsaw on April 14.