The World - News from June 18, 1989

Solidarity leader Lech Walesa rejected a proposal that the Polish trade union form a government coalition with Communist officials. Walesa told the 23-member Solidarity national executive committee, meeting in the northern seaport of Gdansk, that “we have intended neither to take over power nor to fight against it.” He added that “we have marched toward reforms, and in connection with this, the people have demanded reforms from us, but not the taking of five or 10 jobs” in the government. Authorities had proposed that the union, which won an overwhelming victory in parliamentary elections June 4, join a coalition government committed to rescuing Poland from economic chaos.