Word: walesa
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Polish officials complain that their economic woes have been made worse by Western trade restrictions imposed after martial law was declared. Last October Solidarity Founder Lech Walesa and nine other prominent Polish opposition figures and moderate intellectuals issued an appeal to the U.S., urging President Reagan to "play a significant role" in putting the Polish economy back on track by lifting the remaining U.S. sanctions. Washington may be receptive to the plea. "Things are warming up step by step," says an Administration official. "But we have always urged caution. The Poles have often announced sweeping changes and then have failed...
...signing on, Walesa seemed to distance himself from radical remnants of Solidarity and line up with moderate opponents of the Warsaw regime. The appeal was widely interpreted as a conciliatory gesture toward the government, which last month declared an amnesty and released all political prisoners...
...economic sanctions against Poland that have been in place since 1981, when the U.S. slapped on the measures to protest suppression of the Solidarity trade-union movement. What made last week's appeal unusual was its ten signatories. The list of prominent Poles included three Solidarity advisers and Lech Walesa, a founder and former leader of the now outlawed movement...
After a two-day strategy session in the Baltic port of Gdansk, Solidarity called simultaneous press conferences there and in Warsaw to deliver a stunning announcement: the organization was moving back aboveground and would openly campaign for recognition. "We do not want to act clandestinely," said Solidarity Chairman Lech Walesa in announcing the formation of the Temporary Council of Solidarity, which will seek to persuade the government to permit independent trade unions. "It is necessary to work out and agree upon a new model of open and legal activity," Walesa added...
...regime's reaction was swift and uncompromising. Government Spokesman Jerzy Urban announced that the new council was illegal and that its members could be arrested. Said he: "The group consisting of some former Solidarity activists mistakenly assesses its possibilities." To drive home the point, authorities summoned Walesa and five members of the seven-man council for weekend questioning. Walesa described his 30-minute interrogation session as "cultured and friendly," but noted that there was still a "lack of understanding" by Polish officials. Said the Gdansk shipyard electrician: "At the moment there is no good will on the other side. There...