Walesa, Polish Aides Meet to Discuss Broader Talks

Solidarity leader Lech Walesa held another meeting Thursday with Poland’s Communist officials, and a government statement said the talks will continue today in an effort to lay the groundwork for full discussions between the government and Solidarity, the outlawed trade union.

As Walesa left the meeting, which took place in a Warsaw villa, he smiled and gave the V-for-victory sign to reporters. A few minutes later, at the church headquarters where he is staying, he said:

“We are keeping to the position which I have always put forward: There is no freedom without Solidarity.”

The government statement said today’s talks will be “in an expanded composition.” Solidarity sources indicated that each side will bring eight participants to the meeting.

Thursday’s session was attended by Gen. Czeslaw Kiszczak, minister of internal affairs, and Stanislaw Ciosek, an alternate member of the Politburo. Walesa was accompanied by Andrzej Stelmachowski, one of his advisers. Father Alojzy Orszulik, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Episcopate, was also present.

It was the second meeting between Kiszczak and Walesa. The first was on Aug. 31, six days after the government proposed a series of round-table discussions aimed at putting an end to a rash of strikes that had crippled Poland’s coal and shipping industries.

The first meeting was described, as was Thursday’s, as preliminary to the full round-table session, which Solidarity agreed to on the condition that the government would discuss the legalization of Solidarity, which was effectively outlawed in 1981.

“The parties agreed to call the proper round-table meeting as soon as possible,” the government statement said, “on the principles settled on Aug. 31, that is, without any preconditions and with the possibility to discuss all topics in order to consider the most important issues for Poland, including the most significant problems of the working world.”

As with other government announcements on the meetings, the statement carefully avoided any mention of Solidarity by name, much less any indication that it might be considering its legalization.

Many union activists remain doubtful that the government has any such intention, and they suspect that the proposed talks are a ploy to buy time and at least a temporary respite from the strikes that have plagued the country.

However, the decision to continue the talks with an expanded number of participants suggests that Walesa may see some sign of flexibility in the government.

Government sources have said it is not likely that the authorities will permit a legalized Solidarity to function as before on a national basis, but that it might be possible for Solidarity chapters to be recognized on a factory-by-factory basis.

The government, sources said, will press for Solidarity’s agreement to abide by a 1982 trade union law that puts strict controls on strike activity.

It is not certain how Solidarity would respond to such a proposal, which would require concessions that would go to the heart of the movement’s ideal of a trade union free of government control.