Tension continues to rise in Poland

Press, 27 March 1981, Page 5

Tension continues to rise in Poland

NZPA-Reuter Warsaw Crisis talks between Polish Government and union leaders aimed at averting an indefinite national strike broke off after 90 minutes yesterday but both sides expressed "hope for eventual agreement.

The talks, which were held against a background of mounting tension, were expected to resume late yesterdav.

the State radio said that there was only enough food left in the country for 12 days and television showed a film report of Warsaw Pact military manoeuvres in Poland and neighbouring countries.

The independent trade union. Solidarity, has called a four-hour strike for today and an indefinite national strike from Tuesday unless the Government agrees to punish officials reponsible for attacks by the police against union " members in Bydgoszcz seyen days ago.

Solidarity's leader, Lech Walesa, said after yesterday’s talks with a Government team led by the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Mieczyslaw Rakowski) that the Government had failed to .respond to the union’s demands. Mr Walesa was later quoted by the official news agency, Pap, as saying he hoped the strikes could be

avoided. “The talks with the Government were not broken off. but only deferred,” he said.

Mr Walesa added: “I believe we not only can but should reach an agreement as one Pole to another. Even if we come to terms at the very last minute. I am prepared to go on television and call off the strike.” Mr Rakowski said in a statement to the Solidarity leaders which was later read on State television: "Without compromise we will plunge into chaos and possibly fratricidal strife.” But he said he still believed in the ultimate triumph of Polish common sense, adding: "Despite the set-backs I have suffered, I still believe that tensions and conflicts can be eliminated through arduous negotiations.” Mr Rakowski warned the country that Solidarity’s strike plans “are bringing closer the moment when governments and public opinion of both East and West become convinced in our inability to govern ourselves wisely and prudently.”

He asked the union leaders: “Are you trying to prove that ’ independent unions cannot exist under socialism, because that brings about the fall of the State and an end to social peace?”

Mr Rakowski said that the

Bydgoszcz incident, in which, three Solidarity members were alleged to have been beaten by the police, was regrettable but did not warrant a response of such magnitude by the union. | He promised that those responsible would be punished after all the evidence had been assembled. • (

Pap yesterday announced that a meeting of-the ruling Communist Party’s central committee would be held on Sunday, two days before the scheduled start of the- general strike. i Most of the central committee's meetings held since last (northern) summer’s labour revolt have resulted in personnel changes, and with the party more divided than ever between moderates and hard-liners, there was a possibility of further changes. - < In addition to the television coverage of the Warsaw Pact manoeuvres, the State-controlled mass media also prominently featured anappeal to all Poles for calm and responsibility from-Pol-ish-born Pope John Paul 11. I As the crisis continued,' Warsaw Pact troops staged landings on the Polish coast for the third day running as part of the alliance’s continuing “Soyuz-81” joint com-mand-staff exercise, East German newspapers have re-. ported.-