POLAND: Soviet and Vatican Influences
Soviet and Polish leaders yesterdayrade protocol that permits Poland torade deficit with the USSR' billion rubles The Pope still isrip to Poland in Auguet, but he and ths Church have only lunitsd influence on the martial law authorities. Hoscew's initial public criticism af the talks on Tuesday between President Feagan and Chancellor Schmidt was predictable. BJflJ
Moscow yesterday granted Poland soft currencytoillion-ruble trade deficit this year as well asillion deficit Earlier, the Soviets had threatened to force the Poles to balance their trade with the USSR. There was no mention in tho trade protocol of hard currency credits. |SJ
Despite their authority. Churchthe Pops--haveimited ability to affect policy decisions by the martial law regime. This is partly due to th* Church's aversion to Interfering in clearlymatters. Moreover, some regime leaders accuse the Church of having been too pro-Solidarity and point out that some of Solidarity leader Walesa's advisers were closely associated with it.
The government is alao well awareit iafact that the Church will not encourage active opposition to martial law because of its basic interest ln preventing bloodshedoviet invasion.
The regime already has demonstrated that it iaChurch activities closely and Is willing to use pres-ture to gain conformity
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Tho authorities also prevented a
prison priost from visiting detainees after Archbishop Glenp had paid an unexpected visit to the prison. bm
Although Moscow criticized the talks betweenReagan and Chancellor Schmidt, it was lass critical of Schmidt than of Reagan. TASS attacked both leaders for attempting to "dictate to the Polish leadership" but noted that Schmidt "kept his own opinion" of tha inefficacy of sanctions against the USSR. The commentary significantly failed to mention Schmidt's public agreement with the US position that ths Soviets ultimately bear responsibility for events in Poland. bh
An economic newspaper yesterday accused the US of systematically manipulating its food aid to interfere in Poland's internal affairs. The article alleges "unparal-eled duplicity and hypocrisy" on the part of the US ln using blockades, sanctions, and other forms of interference throughout the period following World War II. It falls, however, to mention0 grain smbargo against ths USSR. Moreover, there ia no refarenca to Moscow's own food aid policy, possibly reflecting domestic unpopularity of food aid to Poland.
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