Five central European presidents urged the continent_s nations to fight extreme nationalism and racism on Sunday at a meeting in Poland_s historic capital.

Poland_s Aleksander Kwasniewski, Germany_s Johannes Rau, Hungary_s Arpad Goencz, Lithuania_s Valdas Adamkus and Slovakia_s Rudolf Schuster celebrated the 1000th anniversary of Poland_s statehood in Gniezno, the mediaeval seat of Polish kings. "We appeal to the nations of Europe...to oppose all manifastations of hatred, xenophobia, racism, aggressive nationalism and extremism," the presidents said in a joint declaration read by Kwasniewski to some 3,000 residents of Gniezno, western Poland. Poland and other eastern European countries are worried that recent inclusion of the far-right Freedom Party in Austria_s government may hamper their efforts to join the European Union. "What happened in Austria can happen elsewhere," Hungary_s Goencz said during a televised debate. Austrian Freedom Party_s former leader Joerg Haider has been know for remarks playing down crimes of the Nazi Germany and strong anti-immigrant views. The presidents sent condolences to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuczma, who cancelled his trip to Poland to join his nation in mourn the 80 miners killed in a cave-in on Saturday.