Mieczyslaw Rakowski

Poland's Roman Catholic Church launched its harshest attack in years on the country's Communist rulers, accusing them of blocking talks with Solidarity that were intended to seek national reconciliation. A bluntly worded church statement blamed the Warsaw regime for the collapse of efforts to hold talks between the government and the banned trade union.

West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl praised efforts by the Polish government to improve relations and said in an interview published Thursday that the two sides could solve mutual problems. He welcomed calls by Polish Premier Mieczyslaw Rakowski for an improvement in relations. "I welcome with satisfaction Premier Rakowski's readiness to achieve a breakthrough in relations . . .

Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki bowed to demands from Poland's Communist Party for more than two posts in the Cabinet, apparently clearing the way for Communist cooperation with his government. Party chief Mieczyslaw Rakowski, after talks with Mazowiecki, said that the party had been offered more than two portfolios but that no final agreement had been reached, according to the official PAP news agency. He gave no details but said that he is satisfied with Mazowiecki's proposals.

The Communist Party Central Committee today recommended that party propaganda chief Mieczyslaw Rakowski become Poland's next prime minister, the official PAP news agency announced. The 61-year-old Rakowski, a newspaper editor who became a Politburo member in December, will take over from Premier Zbigniew Messner. Messner resigned with all 19 of his ministers last week following criticism over the handling of economic problems.

Poland's Solidarity-led government said Friday it is preparing to cancel a decision by the previous Communist regime to shut the Gdansk shipyard, where the free trade union was born 10 years ago. Spokeswoman Malgorzata Niezabitowska said the government wants to turn the state-owned Lenin shipyard--Poland's biggest--into a joint-stock company and offer shares to its 10,000 employees and foreign investors.

Polish Prime Minister Mieczyslaw Rakowski unveiled a government with a new team of economic reformers today but warned that factory shutdowns and unemployment would be the price of reform. Announcing his 23-member Cabinet in Parliament, Rakowski said he wants to implement market-oriented reforms drafted by the Communist Party. He wondered, however, whether Poles are ready for the consequences.