PRIME Minister Hun Sen sent a letter on Saturday to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to offer his condolences after the death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 96 others who were killed in a plane crash in western Russia on Saturday.

“I am extremely shocked and saddened to receive news that His Excellency Lech Kaczynski and the First Lady, along with many other dignitaries, were killed,” the letter stated.

“On behalf of the Royal Government and people of Cambodia, allow me to convey to Your Excellency and through you to the Government and people of Poland as well as the bereaved families, my deepest sympathy and profound condolences for such a huge loss.”

The Soviet-made Tupelov Tu-154 airliner, operated by a Polish airline, crashed while attempting to land in the Russian city of Smolensk en route to a ceremony commemorating the massacre of over 20,000 Polish prisoners by Soviet secret police at Katyn in 1941.

Russian and Polish investigators are analysing evidence from the plane’s flight recorder, but initial indications suggest pilot error was the cause of the crash.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said he did not yet know if Cambodia would send officials to attend the funeral of Kaczynski and other Polish dignitaries who perished.

He added that Cambodia and Poland continue to enjoy a good bilateral relationship.