assigning in nested functions

[jena]

Hi
I have code

# BEGIN CODE
def test():
  def x():
    print a
    a=2 # ***
 
  a=1
  x()
  print a

test()
# END CODE

This code fails (on statement print a in def x), if I omit line marked 
***, it works (it prints 1\n1\n). It look like when I assign variable in 
nested function, I cannot access variable in container function.
I need to assign variable in container function, is any way to do this?

Thanks a lot for your help
Jena