Poland's foreign minister has expressed "satisfaction" that Russia has announced it will speed up the return of the Smolensk disaster plane wreckage.

Ministers Sikorski (left) and Lavrov in Mosow: photo - EPA/SERGEI CHIRIKOV.

Following a meeting between Radoslaw Sikorski and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at a Strategy Committee of Polish-Russian Cooperation in Moscow, Monday, Poland's foreign minister said that: “I want to express my satisfaction with the progress in Polish-Russian relations, both in terms of economic and socio-cultural issues”.

Minister Sikorski added, however, that “there are also contested issues, including […] the return of the Smolensk TU-154 plane crash wreckage."

Last week, Minister Sikorski asked EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton for help in the return of the wreckage, over two and a half years after the plane crash in western Russia, which killed all 96 on board, including President Lech Kaczynski.

“We are all interested in finishing the investigation as soon as possible to return the wreckage of the plane to Poland,” Sergei Lavrov said after the talks, repeating previous statements that the wreckage is evidence in part of an ongoing investigation.

“We will do everything in our powers to speed it up,” the RIA Navosti reports Lavriov saying.

Minister Sikorski, pleased with the promise to speed up of the investigation, said that a team of Polish experts will go to Russia to agree technical details of the return of the plane wreckage in January.

Radoslaw Sikorski also said Monday that he was satisfied with the 16 percent increase in Polish exports this year and general development of trade between Poland and Russia.

Sikorski also told Lavrov that Poland was willing share its knowledge and expertise when Russia stages the 2018 FIFA World Cup after Poland co-hosted the European Football Championship this summer. (pg)