Glemp jets in for ton talks

Press, 26 October 1982, Page 8

Glemp jets in for ton talks

NZPA-Reuter Rome Archbishop Josef Glemp arrives from Warsaw today for urgent talks with Pope John Paul II about a growing confrontation between the Catholic Church and Poland’s Communist military Government, said Vatican sources. The Polish Catholic primate was originally scheduled to fly into Rome two weeks ago to attend the canonisation of a Polish priest. But Archbishop Glemp decided to stay in Poland at a time of unrest over the Parliamentary banning of the independent trade union Solidarity. The Polish-born Pope,

formerly Archbishop of Krakow, has taken a deep personal interest in the development of Solidarity and he told 10,000 Polish pilgrims who went to Rome for the ceremony that the dissolution of the union “violates the basic rights of man and society.” Archbishop Glemp is expected to stay some 10 days in Rome, but in line with previous practice, Vatican officials did not announce any programme. In contrast with his three previous visits to Rome this year, Archbishop Glemp did not appear to have met General Wojciech Jaruzelski, Poland’s military leader, before leaving.

Church sources in Poland said that Archbishop Glemp had declined to meet General Jaruzelski since it became clear that there was no hope of dissuading authorities from banning Solidarity. The question now facing the Catholic leaders was how far to continue seeking cooperation with a Government which had yielded no ground to the Church since the imposition of martial law last December, said Vatican sources. As well as losing the struggle for Solidarity, the Church had been outmanoeuvred over the Pope's planned second visit to his homeland, the sources added. The Pope’s trip, originally

scheduled for last August, was put off until some time next year after the Warsaw authorities made clear the time was not yet opportune. Hardline papal aides might now feel tempted to press for the Holy See to take a move in fixing a firm date. Meanwhile. Poland’s Communist Party’s central committee and Parliament meet this week as the Government assesses public reponse to the banning of Solidarity and steps to create a new union structure. The meetings take place in the wake of calls by underground trade union leaders for strikes and demonstrations.