Primary Sources
Secretary of State Cable, Solidarity-Government Dialogue
Description
In June 1989, Poland held its first semi-free elections since the inception of communism after World War II, in which the Communist Party was soundly defeated by the opposition. Following this historic election, ongoing negotiations took place between Communist officials and new leaders in an effort to create stability and ensure that the transition was smooth. In this confidential cable from August 1989, James Baker, the U.S. secretary of state, wrote to the American Embassy in Warsaw, indicating the importance of maintaining this dialogue between Communist leaders (represented by Czesław Kiszczak, minister of internal affairs) and their opposition (represented by Lech Walesa, Solidarity leader and eventually president of Poland). This document points to U.S. involvement in the process of democratization in Poland.
Source
U.S. Secretary of State to Warsaw Embassy, "Solidarity-Government Dialogue," 12 August 1989, Cold War International History Project, Documents and Papers, CWIHP (accessed May 14, 2008).
Primary Source—Excerpt
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 01 STATE 258826 ORIGIN SS-00
INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 SSO-00 /000 R
DRAFTED BY: EUR/EEY:MMHORNBLOW APPROVED BY: EUR:CKAMMAN P:EEDELMAN (DRAFT) S/S:EMCKUNE S/S-0:GSTAPLES DESIRED DISTRIBUTION EUR/EEY - 3, PL - 2 -----------------------------------077331 122140Z /38 0 122133Z AUG 89 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO AMEMBASSY WARSAW IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 258826
EXDIS
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PREL, PL SUBJECT: SOLIDARITY-GOVERNMENT DIALOGUE
REF: WARSAW 10760
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT
2. WE NOTED IN REFTEL [Reference Telegram] REPORTING ON YOUR CONVERSATION WITH GENERAL KISZCAK HIS ASSERTION THAT WALESA HAD NOT RESPONDED TO KISZCAK'S INVITATION TO TALK.
3. OUR VIEW IS THAT IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT DURING THE PRESENT CRISIS ATMOSPHERE TO KEEP ALL LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN.
4. WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH THE SOLIDARITY LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING WALESA, TO EMPHASIZE TO THEM OUR VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A DIALOGUE WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. THE UPCOMING WAVE OF CODELS, ALL OF WHOM WILL BE SEEING WALESA, SHOULD PROVIDE GOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVEYING THIS MESSAGE.
BAKER