Russian leader joins D-Day ceremonies for first time

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Normandy, northwest France, on Sunday to pay honor to Allied forces died in the D-Day landings 60years ago.

He became the first Russian leader to take part in the commemorations of D-Day.

He stood side by side with other 21 leaders of the Allied powers and their former enemy Germany at an international ceremony in Normandy town of Arromanches to commemorate the heroes in the D-Day landings, the prelude to Europe's liberation from Nazi occupation.

Analysts said that Putin's participation signifies the recognition of Soviet army's role in the Allied forces victory of World War II.

Nine million Soviet troops died in the war and the Red Army's victories over Axis forces at the battles of Kursk and Stalingrad are seen by most historians as events which led the defeat of the Nazi Germany.

French President Jacques Chirac stressed "the central role" of the Soviets in the fight against Nazism, recalling Stalingrad, the largest single battle in world history, where the Red Army defeated German troops in the winter of 1943 after three months ofhand-to-hand fighting.

In an open letter Putin published earlier in the French newspaper Ouest France, he said "On these days of the sixtieth anniversary of the landings of Allied troops in Normandy, I express, on behalf of the entire Russian people, my sincere recognition for your historic achievement."

"The opening of a second front brought weight towards our common victory.

You and the soldiers of the Red Army carried out your duty right until the end, defeated the aggressor and returnedpeace and freedom to the peoples of Europe," he wrote.

"The meeting of our armies on the Elbe, during the victorious Spring of 1945, was a sign of indestructible comradeship in arms and a triumph of justice," he said.

Putin's attendance is also seen as reconciliation between Western countries and Russia after the Cold War lasting for nearly half a century.

He expressed hope the cooperation between the Allies in the warwould provide a solid foundation for Russia's future relationship with the West."The traditions of partnership and union, which took shape during these hard years, will help us face our common dangers and cement cooperation in the interest of the security and stability of the planet," he said.

In Normandy on Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators marched in some Normandy towns to protest against US President George W. Bushand Putin's participation in commemoration ceremonies.

Demonstrators waved banners reading "Bush and Putin are war criminals" to accuse the US-led war in Iraq and Russia's military repression in Chechnya.

Source: Xinhua