Hope and Reality: Poland and the Conference on Security and ...

Soon after this shift in Polish foreign policy, <strong>the</strong> deputy foreign ministers of<strong>the</strong> Warsaw Pact met in Berlin on 20-21 May 1969. 30 The Polish delegationproposed not only future coordination of bloc activity but also a “st<strong>and</strong>ardizationof <strong>the</strong> interpretation of <strong>the</strong> Budapest Appeal” (this was to clarify whe<strong>the</strong>r itpresented topics to be discussed during <strong>the</strong> conference or just general remarks onEuropean security). The Polish delegation also stated that Warsaw opposed using<strong>the</strong> “10 countries’ group” as an initiative group as well as discussing <strong>the</strong> questionof European security at <strong>the</strong> UN. The Czechoslovak, Hungarian, GDR, <strong>and</strong> Polishgovernments all indicated during talks that “tactics toward <strong>the</strong> Western countriesshould be coordinated,” but were not able to force <strong>the</strong> Soviet h<strong>and</strong>, as Moscowsupported <strong>the</strong> Romanian delegation’s opinion that <strong>the</strong> meeting should be limited to<strong>the</strong> exchange of information. Deputy Minister Zygfryd Wolniak noted in his reportthat it was clear that <strong>the</strong> USSR did not want to speak about details because itexpected to come to an agreement with <strong>the</strong> United States first. The results of <strong>the</strong>Berlin meeting did not meet Polish expectations as it was agreed that initial talksshould start without preconditions, also as to participating states.Pol<strong>and</strong> kept working on its plans <strong>and</strong> looking for changes in Soviet policy.Talks with Brezhnev, who came to Warsaw for a Polish state celebration on 22July, did not indicate any change in <strong>the</strong> Soviet attitude. On 6 September 1969,Deputy Foreign Minister Ilichev visited Pol<strong>and</strong> to explain <strong>the</strong> Soviet view, but stillwas ra<strong>the</strong>r averse to discussing details or future plans.Following Ilichev’s visit a note summarizing preparations was distributed.This represented <strong>the</strong> first indication that <strong>the</strong> main objective of a conference <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>first step in work on European security should be concluding a “Treaty onCollective Security <strong>and</strong> Cooperation in Europe.” 31 Such a treaty was to include arenunciation of <strong>the</strong> use of force <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> recognition of existing borders, as well asa declaration on respecting <strong>the</strong> sovereignty, territorial integrity, <strong>and</strong> independence30 AMSZ, DSiP, c.60/77, v.1, Note on meeting in Berlin, by Z. Wolniak, 22 May 1969.16