Unionist withdraws retraction

Press, 16 January 1982, Page 6

Unionist withdraws retraction

NZPA-Reuter Warsaw The Polish authorities said yesterday that a trade union . official who embarrased them by retracting public approval of martial law in front of foreign journalists on Thursday had changed his mind;... _ „ Poznan radio broadcast. a new statement by the locak Solidarity leader, Zdzislaw?' Rozwalak, in which he denied being forced to, approve of military rule. Mr Rozwalak had told reporters that he had written

arid signed his original statement last month under duress; and withdrew it. His remarks appeared to take officials by surprise. A Foreign Ministry official said Mr Rozwalak contacted Poznan radio yesterday after hearing on foreign news broadcasts that “his stateirnent was somewhat changed." “He wanted above all to clarify that when he said he made his previous Statement under duress he did not mean he was forced by the security services but only

that he feared that he would ' be interned,", the official, said. \ J A transcript-'. of Mr' Rozwalak’s latest remarks was radioed specially to Warsaw to "clarify” what he said on Thursday, according to the Ministry. The official said: “As far as withdrawing his support for martial law, Mr Rozwalak explained that he did not and does not feel that 'such measures were warranted in Poznan where he said Solidarity and the

authorities enjoyed good relations.” The Government's press spokesman, Jerzy Urban, who had apparently not read the transcript from Poznan, put a' different slant on the situation.

“As far as I know. Rozwalak appears to have withdrawn his withdrawal, the matter is of no interest to the Government I am privileged to represent. I have heard he was not used to talking with journalists and what he said could have been misinterpreted."

Reporters who talked to Mr Rozwalak recalled the following dialogue from their notebooks. “You made a statement supporting martial law. do you still stand by it?"

Mr Rozwalak replied: “No. not now.” He explained without further questions why he withdrew his first statement.

Mr Urban said workmates might have pressed Mr Rozwalak to withdraw his endorsement of martial law and added: “Rozwalak frequently changes his mind.”