Warsaw to get statue of ex-US president Reagan

WARSAW, Sep 19: Polish admirers of Ronald Reagan plan to raise a statue of the former US president in Warsaw, where he is revered for his role in the downfall of communism in Europe.

The 3.5-metre stone-and-bronze statue will stand across from the US Embassy, the head of the group raising money for the memorial said yesterday. The group includes Poles living in Poland, Canada and the United States.

''Reagan was the person who defeated the communists and opened the way for freedom in Poland,'' Janusz Dorosiewicz said. ''The statue is a way for his legacy to live on.'' Many Poles credit staunch anti-communist Reagan with helping the anti-communist movement in eastern Europe. In 1989, Poland became the first country in the region to shake off communism.

The group plans to unveil the Reagan statue on in 2007 on July 4 -- the US Independence Day.

REUTERS