Vice President George H.W. Bush began a four-day visit to Poland on Saturday, September 26, 1987. His visit facilitated talks between Solidarity and the communist regime and eventual peaceful fall of communism in Poland.
I interviewed Vice President Bush at the White House before the trip and accompanied him as Voice of America Polish Service correspondent.
I filed this report from Warsaw for the VOA Polish Service after Vice President Bush met separately Sunday, September 27, 1987 with General Wojciech Jaruzelski and Solidarity leaders, including Lech Wałesa. The report has sound actualities from Bush in English and from Wałesa in Polish.
“Ja dziękuję bardzo za te słowa, które przyjmuję jako pochwałę Solidarności. Rzeczywiście postawiliśmy na pokojową walkę. … Dziękujemy bardzo ekipie Stanów Zjednoczonych za zrozumienie polskich spraw, Mamy nadzieje, że w tej reformie będzie tak jak dotąd pomocna naszemu krajowi.” – Lech Wałesa, Warsaw, September 27, 1987.
“The American people have great affection and, as you know from recent action, support you, support Solidarity and support the objectives that you’ve outlined here this evening. And to the people of Poland. we’ve had a marvelous visit” – Vice President George H.W. Bush, Warsaw, September 27, 1987.