Kaczynski led rival Donald Tusk from the pro-market Civic Platform party, 55.5 percent to 44.5 percent. (Photo: Xihua/Reuters)

    WARSAW, Oct. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Poland's President-elect Lech Kaczynski has softened his campaign stand toward Russia and Germany and expressed good will to the two countries after winning the presidential run-off on Monday.

    Poland wants "good relations with Russia and Germany," the president-elect and Warsaw mayor told reporters.

    During the election campaign, Kaczynski adopted a harsh stand toward Germany because of his country's bitter memories of World War II. However the president-elect said Monday that he hoped "relations between Germany and Poland will improve within a year."

    On relations with Russia, Kaczynski said the first step toward improving bilateral ties would be a visit to Warsaw by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

::::::	Poles vote in presidential run-off
::::::	Kaczynski leads in Polish presidential run-off
::::::	Coalition talks for Polish parties
::::::	Profile: Polish president-elect Kaczynski

    "After six visits by (outgoing President Aleksander) Kwasniewski, I will not go there (Moscow)," he said, adding, "It's time for a visit of President Putin to Poland."

    As to the German-Russian plan to build a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea, bypassing Poland, Kaczynski said, "First of all I intend to talk to Mrs. Chancellor (Angela) Merkel... I hope that talks between Germany and Poland will be satisfactory."

    The candidate of the socially conservative Law and Justice party won the presidency by defeating Donald Tusk of the Civic Platform party in the run-off. Final results showed Kaczynski gained 54.04 percent of the vote while Tusk got 45.96 percent.

    The decisive vote came after both Kaczynski and Tusk failed to secure more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round on Oct.9. Voter turnout stood at 51 percent.

    Kaczynski, 56, will be sworn in on Dec. 23.

    He wants tax cuts and promises a new Poland under the banner of "moral renewal," protecting the rights of workers and building a welfare state.

    He also mentioned the importance of keeping close ties with the United States, signaling that Poland may maintain its troops in Iraq.

    "We have to clearly say that Poland is generally pleased with having taking part in the Iraqi mission. We proved to be a dependable ally, a country able to act in different parts of the world, which is very important," he said.

    The president-elect has also said Poland should hold a referendum before it adopts the euro, saying the abandoning of a country's currency is a very serious limitation on its sovereignty. Enditem

[1] [2] [3] [4]