Defense Minister’s Backing Bolsters Solidarity Regime

WARSAW —  Poland’s Communist defense minister has said he will support a Solidarity-led government but warned that it must not pull the country out of the Warsaw Pact or jeopardize Polish security interests.

Gen. Florian Siwicki, speaking at a military graduation ceremony, said the country must maintain its military strength because “real threats” still exist to peace in Europe.

But his assurances of army cooperation were a major boost for Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, a Solidarity editor and adviser who is putting together the first non-Communist government in Eastern Europe in more than 40 years.