World Notes POLAND

For nearly four decades the Roman Catholic Church had no legal status in a country that is more than 90% Catholic. Last week, however, Poland became the first East bloc nation to recognize the church. The parliament approved a law that permits the church to operate businesses, schools and hospitals, and to run radio and television stations. The action came in the wake of a power- sharing agreement reached between the government of General Wojciech Jaruzelski and the Solidarity labor movement, which has strong ties to the church. Catholic leaders have played a key role in negotiating the agreement with Solidarity and the promise of relatively open elections, set for next month.

The establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Warsaw and the Vatican is expected to come next. That would be the first such link between the Holy See and a Soviet bloc government. It would also provide a capstone to a campaign for mutual recognition dear to the heart of Pope John Paul II, the only Polish-born Pontiff in church history.