West spurs Polish debate in conference at Madrid

February 10, 1982

Western delegates resisted Soviet attempts to halt debate on Poland at the 35 -nation European Security Conference after the United States attacked Moscow for what it called ''massive violations'' of human rights.

The Soviet Union, Poland, and other Communist allies tried to stall talks using procedural rules after US Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr. and the foreign ministers of Belgium, Canada, West Germany, Italy, and Spain strongly condemned the military crackdown in Poland.