Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX, Eastern Europe; Eastern Mediterranean, 1969–1972

162. Telegram From the Embassy in Poland to the Department of State¹

Warsaw, May 23, 1972, 1019Z.

2130. Dept pass Moscow for Secretary. Subj: Contact With Cardinal Wyszynski. Ref: (A) State 89407; (B) Warsaw 2128.²

1. Vice Minister Spasowski summoned me to MFA at 7:30 pm May 22 on urgent basis. He said that he wished to advise me at once of strongly negative reaction to our proposal concerning Presidential greeting to Cardinal Wyszynski, which I had made to him earlier in the afternoon (ref B). In view of importance and sensitivity of subject, he wanted me to know of this reaction as soon as possible, and he wished to be very frank and clear in his statement so there could be no misunderstanding.

2. Spasowski stated that any contact—either personal or by message—with Cardinal at time of Presidentʼs visit was not acceptable to GOP. Presidentʼs visit was at highest level of state-to-state contacts, and this character should be preserved and no elements which could jeopardize visit should be introduced.

3. Speaking personally, Spasowski said he could understand “internal reasons” in US which would favor Presidential contact with Cardinal. However, GOP has its own reasons for not wishing such contact and he asked us to understand these reasons.

4. I reviewed presentation I had made previously (ref B), stressing that inability of President to have any contact with Cardinal might be subject to misunderstanding, could lead to criticism of GOP by prominent Polish-Americans and therefore would not help promote better US-Polish relations. Spasowski acknowledged there might be such criticism, but said criticism of some kind about something is unavoidable. It was more important to ensure success of Presidentʼs visit, and to this end GOP feels it is important that there be no speculation about visit by President to Cardinal or special message to him. Spasowski said he had deliberately restricted circulation of information within GOP about our proposal for Presidential message to Cardinal, since he thought such information would risk creating a bad atmosphere not conducive to success of visit. He concluded by saying that any effort to contact Cardinal would be extremely inadvisable.

5. I said I would report Spasowskiʼs remarks, although on personal basis I regretted rigidity of Polish stand and concerned at misunderstandings which might arise therefrom.

6. Comment: GOP position clearly is very firm against contacts with Cardinal and it seems evident that continued efforts on our part to counter this stand will be seen as affront and could risk damaging atmosphere Presidentʼs visit.³

7. If President tours Old Town on foot evening May 31 we have envisaged that he would make brief stop at entrance to Cathedral of St. John (visit inside Cathedral might not be appropriate since religious services will be in progress at that time). This could be seen as gesture of recognition to Polish Catholic Church. Any reference in oral remarks to Cardinal, however, would obviously not be well viewed by GOP.

Stoessel

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 699, Country Files—Europe, Poland, Vol. II 1972. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. A notation on the telegram reads: “sent Moscow.”
2. In telegram 89407 to Warsaw, May 19, the Department of State reported that the Polish Embassy had expressed anxiety over Nixonʼs May 16 meeting with Krol and had stressed its view of the “undesirability” of a meeting between the President and Cardinal Wyszynski, citing its ongoing Church-state problems. (Ibid.) In telegram 2128 from Warsaw, May 22, the Embassy reported that, acting under instructions, it had suggested that the President send a written greeting to the Cardinal during his visit. (Ibid.)
3. In a May 23 memorandum to Haig, Livingston reported that the Polish Embassy was “putting out the story that the White House has given its assurances about a contact with Cardinal Wyszynski.” In a handwritten annotation, Haig responded: “State has been told to drop the issue—no Pres. visit w[ith] cardinal.”