East Germany Foreign Relations Poland

Poland on Wednesday dropped its demand that the two Germanys guarantee its borders in a treaty before they unite. "Such a treaty immediately after a declaration of unification of Germany will be a good basis for the development of Polish-German relations," Polish Foreign Minister Krzysztof Skubiszewski told reporters in this East German town which has the same name as the West German city. The East and West German parliaments recognized Poland's present borders on June 21.

Poland on Wednesday dropped its demand that the two Germanys guarantee its borders in a treaty before they unite. "Such a treaty immediately after a declaration of unification of Germany will be a good basis for the development of Polish-German relations," Polish Foreign Minister Krzysztof Skubiszewski told reporters in this East German town which has the same name as the West German city. The East and West German parliaments recognized Poland's present borders on June 21.

West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on Thursday repeated his willingness to support a declaration by both German parliaments renouncing any territorial claims against Poland, but he drew stiff criticism from neighboring European countries and domestic political foes for refusing to give more definitive assurances. "No one must link the question of a single Germany with any shift in existing borders," Kohl told a news conference here.

Despite the concerns of U.S. intelligence experts, President Bush on Wednesday approved a longstanding Polish request to open a consulate in Los Angeles and lifted travel restrictions on Polish diplomats. The FBI and other U.S. counterintelligence officials have strongly resisted efforts by a number of countries to open missions in Southern California, fearing increased opportunities for espionage in the region's sensitive defense and aerospace facilities.

The first meeting of the two Germanys and the four victorious World War II powers on the subject of German unity was held here Wednesday, and the participants agreed to invite Poland to attend sessions at which the Polish-German border issue is discussed. The head of the host West German delegation, diplomat Dieter Kastrup, said that at this first meeting, the Germanys, the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain and France discussed procedural questions and an agenda for further meetings.

Poland on Thursday said its planned inclusion in German reunification talks is a diplomatic triumph that marks the end of the "Yalta era." "I think the real end of Yalta took place yesterday," government spokeswoman Malgorzata Niezabitowska said in a televised statement. She called the decision "a success for all Poles."

The West German Parliament adopted a resolution Thursday aimed at reassuring Poland that a united Germany will respect its present borders. At the same time, however, Chancellor Helmut Kohl defended his controversial position that Poland should renounce any claims for World War II reparations from a unified Germany. And later in the day, in Brussels, Kohl assured fellow members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that a united Germany will remain in NATO.

Poland's Foreign Minister Tadeusz Olechowski rejected East Germany's claim to Baltic waters. Olechowski's statement was Warsaw's toughest declaration on the dispute over the Pomeranian Bay in the Baltic, which has clouded relations between the neighboring East Bloc states.

Another casualty in the East German Politburo was announced Tuesday as Communist leader Egon Krenz flew to Moscow for talks with Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev. The official East German news agency ADN said that Harry Tisch, the Politburo member who heads the official trade union federation, will resign Thursday. It was not made clear whether Tisch, who has been accused of failing to defend the workers' interests, will stay on as a member of the Politburo.

Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, voicing Warsaw's disquiet at the prospect of a united Germany, demanded a role for Warsaw in talks leading to unification but ran into opposition from Bonn on Wednesday. Mazowiecki said Poland, whose postwar borders include huge tracts of former German territory, must be involved in negotiations between East and West Germany and the principal victorious wartime Allies in order to guarantee its security.

Poland on Thursday said its planned inclusion in German reunification talks is a diplomatic triumph that marks the end of the "Yalta era." "I think the real end of Yalta took place yesterday," government spokeswoman Malgorzata Niezabitowska said in a televised statement. She called the decision "a success for all Poles."

The first meeting of the two Germanys and the four victorious World War II powers on the subject of German unity was held here Wednesday, and the participants agreed to invite Poland to attend sessions at which the Polish-German border issue is discussed. The head of the host West German delegation, diplomat Dieter Kastrup, said that at this first meeting, the Germanys, the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain and France discussed procedural questions and an agenda for further meetings.

Surrounded by worried neighbors, the two Germanys on Friday began their historic journey toward reunification. The first step was modest, a 2 1/2-hour preparatory meeting between an East German deputy foreign minister and two senior Bonn officials on the security aspects of German unity at an East Berlin guest house. There were no personalities, no news conference and little information.

The West German Parliament adopted a resolution Thursday aimed at reassuring Poland that a united Germany will respect its present borders. At the same time, however, Chancellor Helmut Kohl defended his controversial position that Poland should renounce any claims for World War II reparations from a unified Germany. And later in the day, in Brussels, Kohl assured fellow members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that a united Germany will remain in NATO.

West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on Thursday repeated his willingness to support a declaration by both German parliaments renouncing any territorial claims against Poland, but he drew stiff criticism from neighboring European countries and domestic political foes for refusing to give more definitive assurances. "No one must link the question of a single Germany with any shift in existing borders," Kohl told a news conference here.

Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki said Wednesday that he does not want to see Soviet troops withdrawn from Poland until the issue of Poland's western border with Germany is guaranteed by a formal agreement on German reunification. "We believe that a new stage of history created by the reunification of Germany . . . must not be entered with any ambiguity regarding Poland's western border," Mazowiecki said.

East Germany and West Germany exchanged accusations of bad faith Monday over their negotiations that allowed more than 6,000 East Germans to go to West Germany from Czechoslovakia and Poland over the weekend. At the same time, East German refugees continued to crowd into West Germany's embassies in Prague and Warsaw. By nightfall Monday, more than 1,000 new would-be emigrants from East Germany were reported to have entered the West German Embassy compound in Prague.

Surrounded by worried neighbors, the two Germanys on Friday began their historic journey toward reunification. The first step was modest, a 2 1/2-hour preparatory meeting between an East German deputy foreign minister and two senior Bonn officials on the security aspects of German unity at an East Berlin guest house. There were no personalities, no news conference and little information.

Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, voicing Warsaw's disquiet at the prospect of a united Germany, demanded a role for Warsaw in talks leading to unification but ran into opposition from Bonn on Wednesday. Mazowiecki said Poland, whose postwar borders include huge tracts of former German territory, must be involved in negotiations between East and West Germany and the principal victorious wartime Allies in order to guarantee its security.

Another casualty in the East German Politburo was announced Tuesday as Communist leader Egon Krenz flew to Moscow for talks with Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev. The official East German news agency ADN said that Harry Tisch, the Politburo member who heads the official trade union federation, will resign Thursday. It was not made clear whether Tisch, who has been accused of failing to defend the workers' interests, will stay on as a member of the Politburo.