Program i inicjatywy Ruchu „Wolność i Pokój” w zakresie polityki międzynarodowej

The article describes the programme and initiatives of the “Wolność i Pokój” (WiP) Movement concerning international policy. The WiP maintained a wide international contacts supporting the disarmament and unification of Europe and demanding the withdrawal of the Soviet army from Poland and the termination of the Warsaw Pact. The above programme was reflected in common documents of the opposition groups in both Central and Eastern European countries and western peace movements. As a consequence, the western peace movements ceased to be a tool in the hands of Communists and became the allies of the democratic opposition in the Central and Eastern European countries. The article presents the programme discussions conducted with the western peace activists, in particular the role of the WiP in initiating the Memorandum entitled “Tchnąć prawdziwe życie w porozumienia helsińskie” (Breath true life into the Helsinki agreements), the main initiative of Central and Eastern European opposition activists and peace movements in the mid-80s. The discussions were continued at the international seminar entitled “International peace and Helsinki agreements” held in Warsaw in May 1987, which initiated similar meetings in Budapest, Moscow, Prague and Krakow. The international programme of the “Wolność i Pokój” Movement was recreated on the basis of this statement and the articles of the Movement activists. An important role was played by the concept of political disarmament, considering freedom, democracy, human rights and cooperation between societies of the East and West as the conditions for permanent peace. Political disarmament is something more that technical disarmament, concerning the amount of weapon, dates of its decommission, etc., however without the control exercised by the societies. One of the features of the “Wolność i Pokój” Movement programme was the acknowledgement that changes within the Soviet Union should be used for improvement of the geopolitical situation of Poland. The activities of the WiP were also reflected in the superficial look of the Jaruzelski’s plan, presented in the forum of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and supported by the states-parties to the Warsaw Pact. The WiP postulates, concerning the withdrawal of alien armies from their territories, the termination of the Warsaw Pact and the integration of a divided Europe seemed unreal to the majority of the opposition activists, however were implemented soon after. The cited opinions of the head activists of “Solidarity” and foreign journalists prove that they perceived the crucial role played by the “Wolność i Pokój” Movement in the end of the Communist regime.