7 Nations OK Settlement on Polish Border

Seven nations reached a historic agreement today settling Poland’s border dispute with West Germany and clearing the way for German unification by year’s end.

The action was announced at a news conference after talks involving the two Germanys, Poland, and the four World War II victors--the United States, Soviet Union, Britain and France.

In another important move, West Germany agreed to hold economic assistance talks with Poland later in the summer.

Terms of the border settlement were not announced. Polish Foreign Minister Krysztof Skubiszewski said they were confidential, but all the foreign ministers stressed that the border will be the line between Poland and East Germany that was drawn at the end of the war.

“We are very happy with the results,” Skubiszewski said. “The border has been confirmed.”

The border settlement should serve to allay Polish concerns that a merged Germany would revive old claims on territory given to Poland in partial compensation for a larger area taken over by the Soviet Union.

“Today will go down in history as the day in which the Polish border has been settled to the satisfaction of our Polish friends,” said Eduard A. Shevardnadze, the Soviet foreign minister.

The path to German unification had been largely cleared in Moscow on Monday when Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev agreed to Germany’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and removed virtually all other obstacles to merger.

Secretary of State James A. Baker III said the seven nations had established a “sound basis for European security and stability.”

He said Germany’s territory after merger will include West Germany, East Germany and Berlin--”no more and no less.”

Four-power control of Berlin, which is expected to become the German capital, will end with unification.

On the planned economic talks, the Polish foreign minister said West Germany was “fully understanding” of Poland’s economic plight. He declined to give details of the talks, which he said might also involve East Germany.

Another result of the successful third round of the “two-plus-four” talks, to which Poland was added, is the increased likelihood of a 35-nation summit meeting in Paris in November. However, the United States has insisted on completion of a treaty beforehand to reduce U.S. and Soviet troops, tanks and other non-nuclear weapons in Europe.