236. Editorial Note
On February 26, economic talks began in Washington between financial and trade officials of the United States and Poland. The Polish delegation was chaired by Henryk Kotlicki, Director General of the Ministry of Finance, and included Stanislaw Raczkowski, a financial adviser to the President of the Polish Bank; Edward Iwaszkiewicz, an agricultural expert; Marian Adamski, director of a department in the Ministry of Foreign Trade; Zygmunt Karpinski; and, as Secretary, Romana Buzek. The United States delegation, chaired by Kalijarvi, included Raymond Leddy and Jack C. Corbett of E, as well as representatives from ICA and the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce.
According to a paper prepared in the Department of State on February 20, it was “the purpose of the United States to encourage the continuation of the Polish liberalization movement by opening the prospect of economic advantage to Poland through expanding economic relations with the West.” The degree of Poland’s independence from the Soviet Union was the decisive element in determining how much economic cooperation was possible. The importance was stressed of making clear to the Poles and to the American press and Congress “that the significance of the discussions lies in the beginning that has been made looking toward the widening of future economic relations rather than in the specific trade arrangements to be worked out at this time.” In addition to whatever “limited agreements” might be reached, it was anticipated that the talks would provide a “basis for preparing an economic agenda for the future discussions which are expected to take place concerning all outstanding US-Polish problems” and a basis for consideration by the United States of the desirability of further, longer-term, economic assistance to Poland. This paper and a complete record of the negotiations is in Department of State, EE Files: Lot 76 D 232, US/Polish Talks.