Report on the progress of the Roundtable Talks

Andrzej Stelmachowski, a Solidarity activist, engaged in secret negotiations between the opposition and communist party and state leaders in Poland regarding the preparations for the historic Roundtable Talks that eventually took place in February through April 1989. In this document, he reported to Lech Walesa, the leader of the Solidarity Movement, about his discussion with Secretary Jozef Czyrek, a member of the Polish Politburo. As this report shows, officials presented a different agenda than opposition leaders, in particular with the importance of the status of the trade union Solidarity. For the opposition, the legalization of Solidarity was the first priority, while for party and state leaders, political reforms were most important and the legalization of Solidarity was last. The meeting between these two men points to the differences of opinion as well as a willingness to negotiate on both sides.