The World : Walesa Voices Optimism

Solidarity leader Lech Walesa said he is a “bigger optimist” than ever following a week of historic talks with the Polish government, but strikes in three Polish cities threatened to disrupt the negotiations. The latest wave of strikes was triggered by new price increases for consumer goods, but Solidarity officials accused Communist-led unions of exploiting labor unrest in an attempt to derail the talks that began Monday in Warsaw. Walesa said there were no concrete results but added that he is encouraged by the discussions. “I was always an optimist, but now I am a biggger optimist,” Walesa said after a meeting with Swedish Foreign Minister Sten Andersson, in Warsaw for a visit.