Walesa Still Opposes Role in Communist Government

Solidarity leader Lech Walesa today told Communist President Wojciech Jaruzelski that he still opposes joining a coalition government with the Communists.

However, in a written statement given to Jaruzelski, Walesa said a “bold solution” would be for the Communists to turn over to Solidarity the entire government in keeping with the popular mandate of parliamentary elections in June.

He added that “everything indicates” that the party is unwilling to take that step.

Walesa said in the statement that he would not stand in the way of individual Solidarity legislators accepting appointments as government ministers but said they would be acting as individuals.

“This will not mean Solidarity’s participation in government,” the statement said.

No Agreement

Talking to reporters, Walesa said he and Jaruzelski did not come to any agreement.

“Of course, our philosophies and approaches to the (question of the) prime minister and the government are different,” he told reporters shortly after the two-hour meeting with the newly elected president.

Jaruzelski has repeatedly urged Solidarity to join the Communists in a “grand coalition,” a prospect that has tempted some opposition leaders and left others wary. Walesa told reporters that Jaruzelski reiterated the offer today.

After the meeting with Jaruzelski, Walesa began to confer with Solidarity’s parliamentary leaders in Warsaw. After partially democratic elections in June, the union controls Poland’s Senate and makes up 35% of the Sejm, or Parliament.

Will Consider Pleas

Solidarity lawmakers have scheduled a meeting Wednesday to consider the Communist Party’s pleas for the coalition, which would grapple with Poland’s economic problems.

Jaruzelski was elected president last week with the minimum number of votes required in the National Assembly, thanks to the passive support of some Solidarity lawmakers who deliberately did not vote or cast invalid ballots.

As president, Jaruzelski is required to nominate a prime minister who would assemble the next government with parliamentary approval. Jaruzelski has said the government should be formed as quickly as possible.